You and Me
by Dancing Feather
Summary: Did you think you could get away with it? On a planet that constantly changes, did you really expect everything to stay the same? Except for you being so short. And green. Damn, your short.
1. I am

For those who have never read any of my work before, You and Me was my first multi-chapter anything, fanfic/original/otherwise. It was originally 29 chapters long (I know, I can't believe it either), but as my older more experienced self occasionally glances at this simple story I make adjustments from mistakes I or reviewers have spotted.

So please, if you do see any spelling, grammatical or bad story telling errors, correct me. I'd rather it aged not into a state of complete lameness. Extra thanks to Penname wa Silver B who helped multiple times.

Believe it or not there is fanart for this thing, if you like the story do check out my author's page for links. For this site's standards certain events in this story border the M rating. Jhonen Vasquez owns Invader Zim. It's soundtrack and Goro Yasukawa was listened to in the making of this.

* * *

**Chapter 1: I Am**

"Stay away!"

The screech was no more than a hoarse whisper. He tried to crawl, but his tired aching body wouldn't budge. Bruises covered him head to toe, and his drying blood was making everything stick to him. He attempted to roll, but one arm was bending in a way he's never seen it before. No interest of seeing it again he shut his eyes. He felt it would only bring further pain into his already damaged mind. Tough hands that never seemed to tire picked him back up again. Holding him in place as another pair speckled in his blood strutted over.

"You'll pay for what you did... I'll make you understand our pain!" The teen hissed cracking his knuckles, "You hear that? That's going to be your ribcage, bastard!" In strong overwhelming panic, he almost fainted as he tried to struggle again. He stopped only when he got his face slapped by his captive, Torque.

They did well, he grudgingly admitted; hiding in the alleyway just blocks from his house. No stars nor full moon could pierce the clouds on this wet night. There might be the occasional pockets in the sky and the fading streetlights, but it only brought black shadows to the alley.

But he did not need light to see who brought his seemingly end.

Awkwardly, seemingly neither did they.

It gave him an odd feeling. He knew humans couldn't work in the dark. It's not how their eyes functioned. If they could see, they would have noticed when his eyes lost their contacts. What they stepped on wasn't broken glass, but his contacts shattering. They would have noticed how one of his eyes hissed and bled from making contact to the drenched Earth. How he wasn't _him_...

_How dare they mistake him for anyone but Zim!_

His mind wasn't completely muddled, as he managed to stop the fist from colliding with his face with his only good hand. It didn't hold for long, as the human's left slammed against his neck making the planet he so utterly loathed, out of focus. What he found himself wondering however, as he felt himself being thrown, was why.

_Who was this originally for? What did he do to deserve-?_

A metal ring reverberated loudly as he collided with the streetlight. Plasma energy flew from his PAK, making the light at the top brighten to a near white, nearly blinding any who unfortunately had their eyes open at that time. The bulb itself continued to expand until the hot glass couldn't stretch any further, popping like a bubble. The pieces scattered around the place, hissing as they cooled in the air. Those that fell, cutting into him made him instinctively scream. But his raw throat would not let him, and so he only exhaled harshly.

"Bro, did you see?"

"Yea, that wasn't Dib!"

"Shit! Who the hell was that?"

"I don't know, I- I don't know..."

"Don't start breaking up on me!"

"I- I'm sorry! Oh my god... Oh my god..."

"C'mon! Let's go!"

As the elder teen grabbed Torque's hand, Zim couldn't hear their panting of breath, or their feet hitting the cement. He also couldn't hear the traffic jam five blocks away, or even the young Tabby who witnessed the entire incident. All he knew was that they left him there. What little of his fading mind could process was commanding the PAK for spider legs, for communication to Gir, the house, or _something_. But the pack was bashed too far in itself from the collision of the pole. A warning spark from the pack made his whole body spaz, twitch, then was still. A soft scream through his clenched teeth was his last conscious move.

**Standby... Standby; Critical repair. Need analysis:**

Misty rain settled itself away with the moving fog, the once noisy neighborhood settled in for the night as a plane flew overhead. The PAK, fighting under the numerous software programs forced itself into a emergency lock down.

**Severe physical damage: Repairable over time.**

"Click-click-click-click..."

Zim's eyes dulled to a dark maroon and his whole body finally relaxed.

**Command-Collar damage: Need outside equipment for full repair.**

**Memory storage damage: Personality is being fused with loss of memory. Personality is being lost in the fusion. Per-**

**Memory must be saved. Hold unfused memory in Collar chip 023A. Fused memory in chip 00Br9. Personality r-reset.**

On the unsettling planet, where chaos has the last words to anything, the only peace you speak of comes from within the mind.

**Your name is Zim.**

**...**

"Good, if only you would follow in the steps of your _peers_, I wouldn't have to teach today!" Ms. Bitters growled over her desk at what remained of her students. The cold was just strong enough this month to keep the high skool open. Ms. Bitters' dreams were shattered this morning when she learned she still had 12 kids in good condition.

Among them was Dib, who couldn't understand how anyone like him could be so unlucky to have the same horrendous teacher since elementary. Was the skool budget just that bad? He stooped the nervous tapping of his pencil when he noticed a lack of a green kid in the room. _'Maybe he got sick too... Yeah, more than likely considering he has an allergy to almost __everything__...'_ Which brought a smile and a chuckle up to his face.

Upon sensing the smile with her superpowers, Ms. Bitters oozed into the wall and out of his shadow. "Dib! You are to give everyone who isn't here their homework after skool!" This wiped all pleasantries from Dib's mind, leaving a great lot of room for fear and dread to fill his now pimply head.

Ms. Bitters slithered over to the counter and lifted a gargantuan amount of paperwork onto his desk. Dib would've sworn that they didn't kill that much trees this month, but when wasn't that he proven wrong? His desk, also in solid agreement, collapsed from the weight almost smashing his toes. Paper flew everywhere in a snow like way, given that snowflakes can cut you. Those that landed on peer's desks were being transformed into planes and tossed in the air again. It gave the room an atmosphere of another end to a skool year, despite this one just starting.

"Look!" Bitters barked, "Look at this mess you created!" pointing an accusing finger at the boy who's body was now starting to become more proportionate to his head, "You will not leave till all the papers are sorted in their right pile and every wrinkle is flattened!"

_'Kind of like what I want to do to your face.' _Dib clenched his teeth and obeyed.

**...**

"I _hate_ High Skool." Dib moaned to Gaz, leaning forward as much as possible to prevent himself from falling backwards over from the weight of his stuffed, black backpack. He leaned so much, he started to look not like your mom but more like your grandpa. Your mom's grandpa.

"Please, you're lucky to get Ms. Bitters for what, the sixth time? At least you know what to expect." Gaz sighed, pushing the unlimited buttons on her GS-11, which involved all fingers to be active for play. "It's still a strange coincidence that she keeps moving up the same time you are- Oh, watch out for that puddle."

"What?" Dib stopped, but too suddenly. The pack's weight made him tip too far and in the puddle he went. Gaz stepped back in time to avoid the muddy water and deployed her black and pink umbrella in time to avoid the oncoming water spray from a passing car. After a moment of consideration, she decided to help her waterlogged brother up. "Glad that's over." He grunted, removing his glasses to dry them. To dry them with what is still in question. "What are you doing?" He squinted at his sister. She was a skinny purple headed blur who was now reopening her umbrella.

"I told you it was going to be eighty percent chance of rain, right?"

"Yeah?"

"And yet you didn't pick up your umbrella."

"I wasn't expecting to be delivery boy!"

"When will you get it through your large head that you need to stop assuming?" She snapped as Dib felt liquid patter on his head. He didn't need his glasses to think that Gaz just magically summoned the rain. His sister just had that aura about her, similar to one like an evil overlord.

"Yeah, yeah I get it." He glared at the sky. "I should've listened to you _again_." He hobbled over to Gaz to shield himself from the ensuing downpour. As if everything wasn't wet enough from yesterday's rain, or the day before that, or the day before that...

No wonder Zim hasn't been to skool.

"Now you're getting it." A smirk lasted for about two seconds on her face before it returned to it's former frown.

"Gee," Dib rolled his eyes at the drowning ground, "just when I thought I was going to die of thirst."

"Look at the bright side, our packs were made by dad." She pulled a seaweed off of his shoulder. "They are completely fire, water, smoke, bug, burglar, pig, and Antelope proof. So all that paperwork is safe."

"Wonderful." Dib said in a tone that said otherwise.

"Better than returning to Ms. Bitters for replacements."

"Heh," he nodded, "she'd probably make me iron the damn things!"

"That's the spirit."

If his younger self got a look at his future, he would have probably thought it was the work of Zim (again). It's hard to tell these days. But minus Zim for a moment, and younger Dib would find out that he would still be disappointed with the results.

There were about two or three kids that would be willing to talk to him on occasion, but no one he could call a friend. Either he was becoming more obedient or Gaz was becoming more tolerant of his existence. He was leaning towards the former, as two years ago Gaz learned that Dib responded quicker to her commands if blueberry muffins were offered instead of threats.

That, and she had more things distracting her than games. Dib wasn't sure what he looked forward to less, a new torture skill or when she brought another new helpless animal home. Birds are incredibly fragile, and are never guaranteed to last the night. Which then he has to deal with a mopping Gaz, which was still too creepy for him to comprehend enough to be of any assistance.

The real pain wasn't even when she would bring cats or dogs. They were easy to find homes. Who wouldn't want a cuddly fuzzy thing? No, the trouble came in a form of pigs. He clenched his fist knowing that Zim would laugh himself (preferably) dead from the irony. Gaz would bring home injured pigs. Dib didn't even know their was more breeds than just the giant pink ones. Small black ones, incredibly hairy brown ones. It would've been fine if they could find homes for them, but Gaz refused to give up her healthy pigs to anyone who looked more interested in eating them than petting them. Which brought a whole new nightmare to itself at the household.

"_Daughter, I told you to get rid of these animals!"_

"_They aren't animals, they're pigs!"_

"_Get them out. Now."_

"_Daaaaaad! Pigs are people too!"_

"_-and people are pigs."_

"_Son; shut-up!"_

Membrane only stopped fighting with Gaz when he couldn't find the pigs. Hiding in Dib's and Gaz's rooms was all planned by the Dib himself, surprisingly. Which is the only logical reason in his mind to why Gaz wasn't as harsh with him, because now every day was going to be a new horrible experience waking up and coming in after skool. What did Johnny and Mr. Eff do to his room today? He could only guess what he would find later; right now he had house deliveries to make.

"Make sure they didn't eat my bedsheets!" Dib called to Gaz as she nodded, her gaze never leaving the game screen as she closed the door behind her. He sorta wished she came with him, because he never got mugged when she was around. Plus, he didn't want people seeing him hold up a black and pink umbrella. People question his orientation enough.

He also had no desire to go anywhere near any of the bullies houses, especially Smacky's. Dib wasn't sure why, but the atmosphere around that kid had darkened recently. As much as he was a paranormal scientist and loved finding the answers, he was also a realist who loved to live.

"I'll just leave their homework on their porches." He mumbled to himself. As he unzipped his bag and looked at the names of the absent, one in particular shined and glittered under his gaze as if it were written in some obnoxious green gel pen. Which it was.

_Zim._


	2. Lost and Found

**Chapter 2: Lost and Found**

"High!" Shrieked the lime green canine.

"Shh-! Gir, I'm trying to be sneaky here!" He unwisely pressed his finger to Gir's mouth. "Where's Zim?" He whispered further.

"High!"

"Shh-hhhh!" He spat, putting his big clumsy hands over the mini bot's mouth. "Like if you were watching your show, everyone needs to be quite, right?"

"No." It gurgled.

"What?" Dib was rather shocked to hear this. He has used this logic many times before and it worked. He once got Gir to watch a blank television screen for half an hour before sounding the alarms to his lord and master. Sadly, only recently did Dib start to realize that everything eventually goes Gir's way. Positive or negative aside for whoever else was involved.

"We make cookies now Mary!" It yanked on his sleeve, causing the hood of the dog costume to slip back, "Come on! Ya promised unda the oath of w_eenie_!" As his little nubby black hand somehow gripped Dib and began pulling him to the kitchen.

"No I didn't." He cupped Gir up into his arms, hoping to restrain the beast. But that too ended up as a bad idea as Gir decided to explore the space between Dib's wet clothes and skin. "Holy! G-G-GIR!" He squealed. The rain outside, was lukewarm like a cheap shower at those one star hotels, the robot was freezing cold as if he was living in the fridge for the past few days.

"Oh! The masta doesn't have none of _these_!" he poked at Dib's nipple, which made Dib blush severely.

"G-G-GIIIIR!" As all of Dib's hope of being sneaky was ripped from his mind, he managed to get a good grip on Gir's green fur and- Was only looking at an empty costume. He slammed it to the tiled floor.

"Wheee!" giggled Gir as he slid down Dib's drying windbreakers and began running around, "Wheeooh! Look it me run all Babe Watch like!" As he slowed his pace and hummed what Dib swore could be, The Chariots of Fire. Dib rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Look, I'm just going to put these here..." Dumping the total five pounds of Zim's homework on the couch, "and get myself a soda. There are sodas here right?" Not waiting for the answer, he went into the kitchen and opened up the fridge. Nothing. "Well Zim is a stupid undercover alien. Like there would be anything here..."

"Masta haven't been here for four days." It whispered evilly in Dib's ear.

"Wah!" Dib jumped, making Gir land on his head. "Gone? As in gone for supplies?" As he righted the chilled robot, which made Gir's eye lens fog up as he tipped and fell down onto his back again.

"No! So I've been living in Forgie eveeer since..." As Gir began to cry, swimming on the ground, "He never writes! He never contacts! He never did nothing for the fanny! WAAAH-!"

"Forgie? Do you mean the fridge?" He petted the robot's head in an attempt to cheer him up, which gave him an idea... "Gir, I have a present for you to give to someone." He quickly carried the tin body over the the living room and pulled out Torque's papers from his bag.

"P-P-Present?!?" He nearly screeched but more than likely did as he ran Dib over to take the magical thin whiteness. "It's so beautiful~"

"Uh, yea... Could you take that to 6699 Lane?"

"I love Lois Lane! How did you know?"

"Um, I just did. Will you give these to the people on this list?"

"Only if they dance with meee!" Gir ran out of the house without an aid of a door. The clouds have seemed to rain themselves out for the time being, allowing for the sun to clean up after it's pets. Pushing himself off the floor, he reached over to the remote and turned of the TV. He swore that monkey was looking right at him.

"This turned out better than I thought." He smiled, he didn't have to got to Torque's house! He felt like he could have flown. Since he couldn't, he skipped instead. He skipped right out of the house and into a puddle. "Damn." He spat. Was it impossible to stay dry this month? Maybe Zim left Earth because of the constant rain decided to take his sweet time doing the other deliveries. Any minor happiness would be crushed as soon as soon as his classmates opened up their doors.

_**Possibly ten minutes later...**_

Gir returned home completely endowed with priceless gems; 24k chains (around his neck and if you can call that a waist), diamond encrusted rings, bracelets and watches, and ruby earrings dangling in his eyes. He began to climb up Mt. Couch, only to be DENIED as homework fell upon him and everywhere else.

"Yay! It's worse than I imagined!" As he began to climb the furniture once again, more papers clouded his vision. "Why do you deny me?" As he hit the floor again he began to cry, "You lies to me Mary! You liezed! The couch is...! You tainted couch! You tainted COUCH! Couuuch! WAHAHAHAHAAA! WAAA! WAAAHAHAHAHA!"

**...**

The Werewolf gave a low oscillating grow of warning. Nicely brushed teeth bared and dark Grey hairs on her back prickled up, but did nothing else. Dib brought his camera up once more for a rare shot. Well not really, the animal was chained in the front yard of the Marder's house as a guard dog.

"Marge, it's that crazy boy again."

"What is he doing to Fluffy this time?"

"He seems to be just taking pictures."

"Is that all?"

"Wait! He's coming over our fence!"

"That blasted kid! I'm gonna-"

"It's alright Fred! I made a little surprise for the child."

"It's Kyle hun, and I love you."

"I love you too, Bob."

Dib's surprise was that the Werewolf wasn't actually chained up; but she waited to show her new trick to Dib till both of his feet were in her territory. Then, she ripped at him.

"SNARL! _***snort!***_ RWWARRR!**"**

"What the-? OH MY GOD!!!" At the sacrifice of a boot and his loaded backpack, Dib made it over the fence and up the nearest tree; which was three blocks away.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god..." Dib murmured quietly in an attempt to calm his breathing. _'Are they trying to __KILL__ me? I should call animal control! If I-'_ A ring of crashing metal was heard echoing behind the tree. Hugging the giant plant, Dib shifted himself to look over and down in the alleyway. If it was the Werewolf, he'll call animal control; if it was a hobo, he'll call the cops.

Who it turned out to be was neither.

Dib had to blink stupidly a few times for it to come together for him. Without his disguise, Zim was casually doing his goose-walk around the block, examining everything he came across with bizarre wonder on his face.

"Pfft, drunk Irish foreigners..." Groaned a passerby.

Even as bad as Zim's disguise normally was, what the hell was he doing? Dib carefully made his way down the tree to tell Zim stuff.

Keeping a watchful eye on where he put his left foot and a wary eye out for the Werewolf (this would literally make him cross eyed) he made his way to Zim, who was now observing light through broken glass. He began to realize something was very queer when a spark from Zim's PAK lashed out and melted the smashed cardboard boxes inches from Dib, making him jump.

"Hey Zim, what are you-" Dib gasped as he felt his left foot step in and be pierced by glass. Stumbling back, he clutched his foot before falling on his rear. "Why can't people God dammed recycle?" He cried as he stared at the bloody mess.

Soon after, he heard a bizarre sound. The best way he could explain the sound was something combining a mad cat, Scottish and the bush people of Africa. Looking up, he saw that the sound was coming from Zim.

Or what was left of him.

Dib almost forgot the pain pulsing through his heel staring at the yellow and dark green bruises and scarring that covered Zim. The clothes that he normally wore so proudly were ripped and filthy. One foot was also bootless, exposing the two toes to the wet elements. The right eye looked dull and had a long, clean crack that branched as it slanted in the middle. It seemed as if it didn't work at all.

"What... happened to you?"

Zim didn't respond as he knelt down and began to gently prod at the glass in Dib's foot.

"Ow ow! Careful with that!" Dib grabbed Zim's hands to stop him, and the response given back was a lot like yanking the tail of a cat. Zim bared his teeth and hissed as he retrieved his hands back. Dib bit his lower lip as Zim tugged and released a shard.

"Ahoock? Shath k-k mah-shhh?" Zim whispered as he yanked the second piece out.

"Ow!" Dib fought back a cry and the urge to punch Zim by gripping his pants. "What was- ow!" He cried again as another chunk of glass was tossed behind him with a clink. "Zim, what are you-"

"Zim tith-qui harshh ni, toll! Ur nith-k!?!" He spat in anger, so Dib figured personality-wise Zim seemed alright. Maybe. Sorta. No English was coming from his mouth, not that real English ever came from his mouth.

Like the writer of this story.

"What the hell are you saying? You-" Dib felt like slapping himself, _'Dammit, I knew I __recognized__ the __language... It's Irken! Whatever he has to tell me can be translated in Tak's ship!' _Carefully taking Zim's hand, he stood up. "Zim, we need to uh, dang it... you probably don't even know what I'm saying..." Zim 'answered' back in a rather evil looking grin, with the teeth Dib swore that they could bite through metal if needed to.

So, with difficult non-verbal communication with misinterprets on both sides they made it to Dib's house. And in Dib's situation, it was done one hop at a time.

"Hehehe!" Zim giggled as Dib fell again.

"Zim, shut up!"

* * *

Looking at how the Irken's mouth is designed with a long slender tongue, I figured they did a lot of clicking.

Like dolphins.

Scottish dolphins.


	3. Purple Haired Goth Freak

**Chapter 3: Purple Haired Goth Freak**

"Did he... Did he just call me a _fag_?" Gaz glared over the kitchen table, as if edging Zim to say it again.

"No!" Dib waved franticly from his chair. "He doesn't know English anymore! At least, I think." His arms dropped to his sides like strings attached to rocks as he and Gaz aimed their focus on Zim again, who was now carefully exploring the utensil drawer.

"Meda-kt hiff?" Zim whispered as he conjoined the silver prongs of the forks together in wonder.

"Like Amnesia?"

"Maybe."

Fortunately, Membrane seemed to be on another all nighter and was not coming home till the next morning. So it was the perfect chance for Gaz and Dib to clean and fix up the hidden pig pens. Was. One could imagine Gaz's growing resent to find her brother hardly in the condition to do anything. And to add that 'cherry on the top', he brought Zim.

"You know, I thought he spoke better than most people." Gaz replied dully letting the curiosity slip off of her tongue and rot in the air. She opened the med kit on the counter and firmly placed the alcohol and gauze tape on the table.

"No, it's like he's lost it or something." He bit his lower lip as he began cleaning his foot with a dampened paper towel.

"Lucky-" Gaz begun but was interrupted by high pitched squealing of a small gray pig who ran into the kitchen only to slide and roll across the tiled floor. The sudden noisy action spooked Zim to the point that he dropped all utensils, scrambled up the drawers and counter and jumped to the highest point possible. Which as of late, has become Dib.

He grunted in disgruntlement and pain as Zim's arms wrapped themselves around his neck, feet dangling from all two feet from the floor. Because whatever the hell an Irken was, Dib figured, apparently didn't grow.

It made for a very interesting subject in middle skool. When all of the other kids and he grew vertically and horizontally to become whatever it is you turn into, Zim stayed put. Never changing. Even Gaz was taller than him now. It was still confusing to Dib, because he has seen Zim talk to other Irkens on his television and all of them were many feet higher. So was Zim an alien midget?

So even midgets in space are angry.

In space no one can hear you stereotype.

"Dammit, Gaz! Your stupid-" Dib swung his bad foot back to kick the screaming pig, but Gaz and her quick reflexes swept the frightened creature in her arms just in time to have the air brush by her hair in a quick stroke.

"Dib! What is wrong with you? Have feelings!" Gaz shouted, backing away as she began to stroke the pig on the back, "There there Squee, everything is fine..." High pitched squeals became happy grunts in a matter of seconds, "Mean, stupid Dib won't hurt you..." Zim's panic left almost as fast as the pig's as he climbed up Dib to get a better look. Dib could only stare at her sister. _'Did she just tell me to have FEELINGS? What that-'_

Almost all of Dib's thought process stopped when a loud purr along with a series of clicks began filling the room.

"Gaz, what kind of pig... purrs?" Gaz only rolled her eyes as she pointed to the thing on Dib's head who was the cause of most noise on the show in the first place. But now he was rubbing his head against Dib's in the most creepy manner.

"Whoa!" Dib snatched Zim, "What the hell?" The clicking purr stopped immediately, Zim's face now growing with concern and guilt as he looked away from Dib.

"Shhh kpt, Dib. Noltill-k krr purrr."

"What?"

"Remember Dib? For your sixth- or was it your seventh birthday? You wanted a 'pet' alien?" Gaz sneered leaving the two in the kitchen.

"No! Gaz! This isn't the same! This is WRONG!" He called out to her, but to no avail. His hairs began to stand up again feeling Zim's head rub against his hands. "Z-Zim?"

Zim stopped and looked back into the alien eyes of the strange creature holding him. He seemed very familiar. The creature knew him, but all he could recall back was feelings of anger and resentment. He did not know why this Dib brought him such feelings, he seemed... nice. He only wished he could ask why this Dib knows his name, why Zim himself only knew his name and Dib's.

Somewhere in the back of his mind came a deep voice he did not recognize.

**Repair systems have cooled, continue operation.**

Not knowing why, Zim blacked out, going completely limp in the Dib's hands.

"Zim?"

Silence followed.

"Z-Zim?"

Nothing.

"Gaz, help! Help!" Holding Zim to his chest, he hopped to the next room.

"What?" She groaned, turning the TV's volume to mute. The pigs laying on top of her and the rest of the couch grunted in protest as their favorite commercial came up. A white duck and a small green gecko started punching each other repeatedly as a Neanderthal reported the damage. That's Allstate stands, are you in good hands?

"Zim! There's something wrong with him!" Dib gruffly held the unconscious alien towards her.

"Well, DUH." She waved her hand. "Look at him Dib, he looks like he got into a fight with a mutant meat grinder." She took another look at the small green creature. "And by the looks of his clothes it looks like someone tried to rape him."

"Ew! Gaz, that's not even funny!" It didn't stop her from chuckling and turning the volume on again.

"Dad still has our clothes when we were in Elementary in the basement, I'm sure you could find some that fit him." Her gaze at the TV was short lived as Mysterious Mysteries started it's theme music. "You know what?" She pushed the pig on her lap to the floor. "I'll do it, hand him over."

"Wait!" Dib protested pulling the alien to his chest but his eye's betrayed him as they strayed over to the new episode for the week.

"Why?" She stood up, arms held out as if to restrain a wild hog.

"Because- because...! I... Um..."

"You told me yourself that Irkens no longer have reproductive organs. It's not like I'm going to lose my _virgin_ eyes or something." Dib's annoyed eyes narrowed on Gaz's bored ones. The theme music ended, starting the show with an exclusive interview staring the suicide of Turkey Neck.

"_Fine_." Zim was exchanged as Dib replaced Gaz on the couch and Gaz went down deep into the basement.

"Dib is going to regret those words when I'm finished with you." She whispered to Zim with amusement. Fairly aware that no answer nor protest could be given back. "Ugh, someone needs to clean you up. Are you allergic to bandages?" Grabbing a med-kit in one hand while holding the Irken in the other, Gaz took Zim to a dark room. A foggy grey space stacked this boxes and boxes of cardboard boxes. Turning the light on, she placed Zim on a table and wondered how she was going to clean the cuts.

_'I can't use water, and who the hell knows what alcohol will do.'_

As she began to undress him, she noticed how most of the bruises she remembered him having when Dib first showed up with him slowly vanishing before her eyes.

"Interesting... Guess I don't have to wonder." She began to wrap the bigger wounds instead. "When you can process words again, you've got to tell me how you do that." When she finished wrapping him, she began to go through the boxes. Good, bad and stupid memories came back as she went through the numerous dresses, skirts, wigs, gloves, socks and jewelry of skool plays and Halloween days. Then, the thought of giving him an eye patch came to mind.

"Oh God, fight the urge. Fight the urge!" She growled, clenching her perfect teeth of three painful years of braces. Giving up, she sighed as she pulled out a near black skirt. "Oh hell, it's payback for Dib's stupid foot."

**...**

"...last person reported to have seen him alive was his long distance relationship girlfriend, Nessie. Her words next after commercials."

"Damn it. Why do they always treat the news like it's a preview to the next 24?"


	4. No

**Chapter 4: No**

Gaz and Zim came back up before the show ended, but Dib wasn't aware of it until the credits rolled. Pushing Squee and Devi off of him, he grabbed his the umbrella as a replacement cane and limped into the bathroom. When he came out, the next thing he saw made no sense at all. Gaz was dressed up in one of her many Halloween gowns and was adjusting a clip-on earring. She did that a lot when it was past eight pm. Going to things like 'parties' or when she decided to 'summon spirits' and whatnot.

It wasn't even near eight, but that wasn't what tipped Dib's weird level. Seeing something small shifting behind her, Dib figured it was Zim. Until Zim walked forward. Recognizing Dib, Zim ran over to him with looking just as clueless as Dib felt, jingling all the way.

Oh, what fun.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." She said with the thickest sarcasm he ever heard. He tried to kneel down to Zim's level, but found himself falling to his rear again.

"Gaz, what the hell." He moaned as Zim sat along side him, allowing Dib to get a better look at his 'enemy'. Earrings, choker, necklace, and bells on the hem of his dress and boots were the cause of the jingles. White frills and black ribbon consumed every end of the dark fabric. A long navy blue hid his broken eye. Deep symbols flowed everywhere on the dress along with his netted gloves and ankle boots. Zim began fidgeting with Gaz's silver necklace as he became aware of Dib's unblinking stare.

"You don't like it?" Gaz knelt down to tie her dark purple boots.

"No." He said as quickly as physics would let him.

"You're no fun." She stood up to flatten her dress out.

"Gaz, he's horribly _injured_ and you turn him into a freaking doll."

"Like you wouldn't to the same to your rival on a good day. He's not that badly injured."

"Not badly injured? You said yourself that it looked like he got into a fight with a-"

"Take off his wig."

"What?" Gaz rolled her eyes and did it for him.

"See the scars?" He didn't see any.

"What scars?"

"Exactly." Zim gave a squeak as Gaz pushed the wig back down on his head. "He's a fast healer."

"But how-"

"I don't know, you're the alien expert." She helped Dib back up again before placing her hands on her hips. "Since dad isn't here, I'm going out again early tonight."

"You are not taking him with you." Dib said quickly picking up Zim.

"_Please_," she chuckled, "you had to say that?"

"For all I know, you would use him in one of your sacrificing rituals!"

"Hey, thanks for the idea." She started exiting the room. "But since your giving yourself the responsibility of saving this planet, why don't you do it yourself?" Sensing her aura disappearing, the whole room's atmosphere livened up as all of the pigs got up and followed after their lord and master. Startling Zim again, the alien climbed up Dib and watched from a safe distance as the hogs disappeared from view.

"What?" He called out to Gaz.

"Aren't you going to take him to the authorities?" He heard her open the front door.

"Of course! Like I would blow a chance like this!" The door slammed, and that was the end of that conversation.

_'Of course, I'm not taking him anywhere until I figure out what's wrong with him.' _Dib with the assistance of the umbrella, climbed up the stairs. _'If I take him to the Swollen Eye, it will never be guaranteed that I will see him again. Considering my reputation with them, they hardly trust me with the tasks they hand me now.' _He did feel stupid that it was Gaz of all people who reminded him of his goals.

It's true, he does have Zim as helpless as he could ever wish. Except for the dress thing. But aside from that, this was the greatest advantage he's ever had. It was so wonderful, it made his stomach turn uncomfortably.

Who gave him this advantage?

Zim's damaged himself before, but never this bad and so far from his base. And never, never on purpose. Dib looked back at him, who was now clinging onto his arm. When Zim noticed the stare, he hid his face into Dib's shoulder.

"Embarrassed? I should think so." Still hiding, Zim yanked the itchy wig and tossed it down the stairs. Dib couldn't help but smile. "Understandable. Just remind me next time not to let her handle anything extraterrestrial, okay?" Dib picked up the wig and placed it on the top of the banister.

_'Besides, it's hardly a victory if Zim's not aware of his loss.'_

Stopping by Gaz's room, Dib removed what he could of the jewelry and other nameless accessories and tossed them into her room. Zim helped by yanking the ribbon belt and kicking the skirt off. Thankfully under all of that frill was some decent clothes of shirt and pants. What remained of the war on fashion was a clip on earring that appeared to be jammed and a choker that needed a key to unlock. Dib couldn't help but think as Zim tossed the dress as far from him as possible, it was almost like having a little brother.

"That was ridiculous." Dib closed Gaz's door before walking to his room. "Girls make no sense to begin with, but Gaz is on a whole new level." He waited for Zim to walk in before he closed the door to his room, despite them being the only living things in the household right now. Closed doors tend to be a teenage security thing.

Exhausted, Dib threw himself onto his bed, making everything on it jump. He noticed Zim looking around the room with large eyes, staring at the strange photographs of light sabers, horned horses and dustbins armored with toilet plungers. Picking Zim up again, Dib placed Zim next to him.

"What do you weigh? Like three chihuahuas?" Dib closed his eyes as he hit his bed again. Today took too long to end. He wanted to sleep now. "But I need to find a place for you..." He mumbled, unknowingly already drifting off himself.

Zim watched the Dib as his breathing eased into a pattern of soft, slow intakes. Standing up, he turned his head side to side to get a better look around with his left eye. Posters and photo's covered the walls and the ceiling giving no evidence to what the original color of the walls used to be. Many strange and unusual creatures' eyes followed him on the bed, but it that wasn't the most unnerving thing to Zim.

One creature, who appeared the most on the walls was in the smallest of pictures. A green creature with red eyes or blue eyes in others. It made Zim nervous seeing this one creature over and over. There was no reasonable thought known why to him. All he knew was that something was dangerous, and that he shouldn't stay here. Somewhere away from the crowded red stares, and the familiar cold pain.

Already confused and damaged, the PAK almost lost to the world in it's repair mode was overwhelmed by the sudden growing desires and emotions and began to rebel.

**Again?**

Zim shrieked as the spider legs whipped out, lassoed in blue plasma. The force threw him off the bed as Dib's eyes snapped open.

"Wha-? Zim! You-" Dib dogged a flying leg. "Zim! What are you doing?"

Zim gave off a small cry as he curled up to protect himself from the growing insanity. Dib crawled over to Zim with his arms over his head as the mechanical legs sung through the air before pounding the floor repeatedly.

"Zim! Stop this now!" Dib flinched as a leg slapped him on the back with a pillow.

"Zim te-nightith meeou!" Zim screeched as another one whipped him on the head.

_'He doesn't know what he's doing... I-I have to stop this!'_

Gritting his teeth, he caught each leg almost by chance as Dib began to see a pattern in each of the powerful, wild legs. Even when he only had two, his left hand was screaming from the pressure of almost being ripped apart from the potent fine metal. Grabbing the duct tape from under the bed he sealed the four legs within the PAK. When he was positive that there was enough tape on the PAK, he threw the remains to the carpet and tossed himself on his bed.

Deaf noise rung in his ears. The room was a hideous mess, everything had either been smashed, ripped or thrown to the opposite side of the room. Fluff from opened pillows floated to the floor or out the broken window and were taken away by a thin moist wind, warning all that another storm was coming.

A cry broke the silents.

Dib sat up to see Zim, curling up as tight as he could as if to hide from himself, heaving. As bizarre as the noise was, he could swear Zim was bawling. He remembered may times he wished he could cause that alien that had no heart, to feel. And now... now it felt so wrong.

_Why...?_

"Zim?" He tried to sound as calm as possible. The Irken made no move, but his volume softened.

Shutting his eyes to the point they were watering, he took Zim in his numbed hands and placed him on his bed. Propping up the only good pillow against his sore back as he leaned against the wall, Zim snuggled up as close as he could, wiping his tears on Dib's shirt. He was safe, and the feeling unusually hurt as if it were wrong to think so. Annoyed, Zim pushed the feeling to the far back of his mind...

_'Who did this to him?'_

It was payback.

With everything else.

**...**

Patches of large clouds kept a strong pace in the sky, allowing rays of sunlight to weave across the city and into it's outskirts before they vanished and appeared elsewhere. One such ray past over the broken window hitting Zim dead in the face.

That is how he woke up that day.

Not quite sure what was happening, he pushed his face into a blue blanket till he felt the light leave. Antennae stiffening up to the dropping temperature he began to feel more attentive, grogginess leaving his fingertips. Pushing himself up he let the blanket slide off.

Looking to his right he noticed that Dib had finally gotten to sleep. Carefully stepping over, Zim got a better look of Dib's pale face. There he saw two transparent circles connected with black wire with plastic laying on top of his closed eyes.

_What was that?_

Sliding the thing off he slowly brought them to his face and looked through them. He pulled them off as soon as he got a good look. _What a bizarre thing!_ He balanced them on his head again. His right eye which never saw anything now saw blurry fluff; his left that was perfectly clear now saw blurry stuff. The situation in itself made him feel... dizzy. Why was his Dib wearing this thing?

It was not safe, but hell if it wasn't fun.

After locking her bedroom door behind her Gaz heard a crash of books to the floor and a squeak. Walking up towards Dib's room, Gaz saw a sloppy pyramid of hard and soft covered books with a waving green hand peaking at the top. "Zim?" She stood over the pile.

"Ek-ehk tae?" He weakly answered back.

"I see that Dib decided _not_ to take you to the Swollen Eyeball." She sighed as she started placing the books back on the self. She removed the book on his head and noticed the damaged glasses. "What are you doing with these?" Gaz pulled them off his forehead. "Great, I thought it was just Dib who was over-obsessed with his enemy." She mumbled placing the bent lens on the bookcase as well.

"Shi-dic-k teh meh..." He asked quietly reaching for the lens's self. Loud clicking noises came from the PAK, but the duct tape stayed in place. Gaz rolled her eyes and picked up Zim.

"You don't need those dumb things. Are you hungry? It's about lunch time anyways." Walking down the stairs with Zim held up by her right arm, her left hand searched her pockets for a key. When found, she placed it in Zim's choker lock and removed the black velvet from his neck. "I bet Dib didn't even compliment on your outfit, ungrateful..." Placing him on the kitchen table she fought with the earring on the antennae and lost. "Gee, I thought it was because Dib couldn't remove women's clothing." She smiled to herself and opened the fridge. "Water is painful to you so... Nope that has water, that... no. Dang, that too- err..."

Impatient as always, Zim climbed off the table to the tiled floor and joined Gaz to observe the small, cold, stuffed room. As just as many awkward shapes of things in or out of containers caught his eye, his antennae was picking up just as strange unknown smells.

It made his mind spin.

"Dang Zim, I can't find-" She heard a pop and looked down. Zim had opened a jar of honey and was inspecting it's innards. He gave a soft protest as the transparent stuff stuck his fingers together. "Get out of that, I think that has water." Gaz took the jar from him, placed it back in the fridge and closed the door. "Dang it Zim, how am I supposed to wash that off of you?"

She walked out of the room and down into the basement for a safe cleaning chemical for aliens as Zim solved his problem by putting his hand in his mouth and sucked on it. It tasted funny.

Gaz came back with a growing temper, everything was locked away. The only way to get into those rooms was to either wait for Dad or wake Dib. Neither she wanted to deal with. It would take hours to wait for Dad to come home then convince him to why she needed to look and Dib would just yell at her for trying to get Zim sick or something like that. Deciding to check on Zim, she walked into the kitchen just in time for Zim to finish the honey jar and hold it up above his head to her.

"Thats rather ironic, considering you normally have a sour personality." She took the jar and strode over to the pantry for another one similar. Zim ran after her to explore more uncharted rooms.

Chaos stuck for Gaz as Zim insisted to get into things. Spilling rice (What are you doing?), opening chip bags (Stop!), climbing the shelves (No Zim, no!), breaking jars (NO ZIM!) it stopped when he came to a juice container and spilled it on himself.

"That will teach you to stop, you pig!" She yelled back at the burning, crying Irken who hugged her leg tightly. Gaz shuddered, and resisted kicking him. Instead she took a towel and dried him up. Revenge still in mind, she dressed him up again. This time she was a little easier going, but mainly because she didn't feel like getting fancy.

"I'm going to school, for what's left of it today. Stay here and don't get into things." Gaz told him as she picked up her backpack and headed for the door.

"No." Gaz stopped and turned, looking for her brother. But all she saw was Zim. Great, his first English word. She hoped Dib would appreciate it.

"Yes, you stay here."

"No." He said more firmly, hugging her leg again. She walked over to the couch, dragging along the way and placed Zim firmly on it. She then turned on the television and changed the channel to TCM and set the volume on low.

"Today they have a Cary Grant special starting with the movies that also star Hepburn, so you luck out."

"No." Zim wasn't paying any attention to the screen, he was yanking the new necklace she place on him in attempt to take it off.

"Stop that..." Gaz took Zim's hands in hers and placed them at his sides. "It's cu-" She was cut short due to the kitchen phone ringing. So she left Zim to the black and white screen.

Coming back with a sticky note in hand, she placed it on his chest. "Now, don't remove this." She warned him, hoping that if the words didn't process through his head, the tone would. "Stay here, alright?" She grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

"No." Looking back, she saw two maroon eyes peering over the couch.

"Please Zim, those movies are a hell lot better than most colored ones. Just watch it."

"No." He said quietly she as closed the door. Zim turned back to the television as the beginning credits ended and the movie began.


	5. Unknown Hate

**Chapter 5: Unknown Hate**

_He could see flashing lights behind his eyelids when he woke again, but opening them felt beyond impossible. He felt cramped, but strangely relaxed. When he realized what the tasty salty liquid leaking from his mouth was, he heard words from foggy voices._

"_There is... no way... he'll die before we..." "...paler than a ghost..." "Another stupid teenager bites the dust..."_

_What? No! Dib tried lifting a limb but the only one that felt... attached(?) was too heavy to lift. Oh god... oh my... He wasn't sure he wanted to open his eyes anymore, he could swear his fingers were touching his cold fleshy knee. The-the cold... the- God...! ...No!_

"_Get the body bag."_

_No!_

"_You will just chase after anything, will you? Anything to be recognized by your stupid species!"_

"_What have you done to me?"_

"_What do you think Zim did? How dare you accuse me otherwise!"_

"_Why would you save me?"_

"_Why did I...?_

_..._

_Because I believe you would've done the same for me..."_

"_Impossible... I would never..."_

"_You bastard! How could you? I'm going to kill you! I'm going to rip your disgusting limbs apart! Murderer! YOUR HEAD IS MINE!"_

"NO!" Dib ripped himself from the foggy cloud into clear air, out of sleep, out of the dream.

Again.

When realization of living came to Dib's mind, everything began to hurt at once. His hands were sore from the spider legs strain. His back stung from the same objects trying to break his skin. His foot was still swollen and he slept on his shoulder funny. However, his eyes could only focus on a distorted world where nothing resembled everything. Reaching for his glasses, he realized that his bedside table wasn't there. Memories of why he was in such a situation slapped him out of his daze.

"Zim?" Dib called squinting furiously for the little green guy and another pair of glasses, he slipped on his shoes and treaded ground-zero carefully. The only green he could see were specks from the photos on the walls and floors. "Zim, where are you?"

Deciding that he couldn't be in his room, Dib limped to the hallway. His left hand trailed the wall and bookshelf, his finger catching his lens. "Zim?" An excited shriek came from the living room. "Don't worry Zim! I'm- AUUUGH-!" Dib crashed down the stairs, the railing controlled his fall to the bottom. "Ziff...?" he bit into the carpet. Spitting out the fuzz, he placed his cracked glasses on their rightful place.

"Dib! Dib! Dib! Shin-k tic smeh!" Zim jumped on the couch and pointed to the screen. "NOooo!" He exclaimed as he pointed at Grant and Hepburn kissing each other on screen.

"What the heck are you watching Zim?" Dib collapsed on the couch giving Zim another chance at being airborne.

"Wheee!"

"Zim!"

"Dib!" He cried landing his last jump onto Dib's lap.

"Umf! Zim what-" Noticing the yellow paper he yanked it off of Zim and read as best as he could:

**Dad called, he said that he's not coming home until Friday. Can we get pizza? I want pizza.  
Speaking of food, I had to find something to feed your stupid alien. The only thing that  
didn't seem to hurt him was honey. Which, we have just ran out of. Since you don't seem  
to be going to skool you can get the groceries. I need batteries. Oh, what do you think of  
Zim's outfit today? Don't you dare take it off or I'll destroy you.**

**Love, Gaz**

_'Damn she's right, it's 1:23. Not even worth going to skool...' _His eyes lifted to Zim who still sat on his lap but was now watching the rest of the movie. _'Well it's not as bad as yesterday, I guess I'll just leave it.'_ He brought his eyes back down to the note.

"Zim umak-k te nish neh." Zim crooked his neck to the screen blacking out as the movie ended. "No..."

"Your telling me..." Dib moaned placing Zim on the couch he got up and strode over to a counter. "I know I have another pair here somewhere."

Hot on his search for unbroken glasses, Zim began a speech in his language that involved the names Gaz and himself. So Dib assumed that it was the story of what really happened in the kitchen. "Yes, yes, that's nice Zim... Where the hell-" He took another look at Zim who was hopping again on the couch. Each hop made the new wig jump reveling-

"MY GLASSES!" At first the abrupt lunge scared Zim, but once the shock left it was replaced by enlightened thrill as he ran from Dib. "Give them back Zim!"

"No!" The Irken laughed, this was so familiar... and fun! He ran with such speed around the house he past Dib on a few occasions and only when he came to the stairs did the Irken slow down enough for Dib to catch up and grab the giggling creature. "Finally!" Gasped Dib, replacing glasses on his face. "What was that for Zim?" Zim only pointed at Dib's face and laughed.

"Ghof tah-ha niss ash-k Dib!"

"That better not have been a big head joke." Dib rolled his eyes.

"No." Zim grinned. Dib stared at him.

"No?"

"No!" Zim hugged Dib making goosebumps travel up his spine.

"Zim!" Pushing him off Dib scooted himself off the stair. Confused and now sullen by the sudden act, Zim began to finger the banister. Dib began pacing slowly. "Okay, I need to go to the store..."

"Deski mey demi-k-k Dib."

"Well I can't leave you here." He watched Zim place his head against the cold wood. "I guess I could take you..." Then an old idea snapped into his large head and bit at his brain meats for not remembering. Picking up Zim, he made his way into the garage.

Zim didn't understand Dib flipping the switch to make the room brighter, he saw fine without it and squinted in the bright light to look at a Burgundy and Falu-red ship. It's sharp clean shape brought up feelings of frustration, anger and mistrust in his mind. Dib felt Zim slip into his jacket and tighten his grip on his shirt. "Hey, it can't hurt you, not without my okay now."

Dib himself couldn't help but remember every time he looked at the magnificent ship that she created; it was wondrous and magical that such an occasion happened... and dark and painful that it had to end... Secretly, Dib wished the lie lasted just a little longer...

Chirps and clicks in his jacket snapped him from his time wasting daydream. "Sorry Zim, I got to get something out of the cockpit." Slipping into the seat the ship's computer automatically turned on.

**Good afternoon Dib; what may I do for you?**

"I would like your native language in a translator for English." This voice, sounded so familiar to Zim, he could almost _taste_ it. A name, this name...

It scared him.

**I'm not computing; am I not doing it right now?**

"Ah, but you are not portable."

**Good point; where is your laptop?**

"Somewhere in my room damaged."

**Then I can't help you.**

"Crap! You sure?"

**I dunno; how badly damaged is your laptop?**

"Um, it got thrown across the-"

"Zim will get! Zim can get!" Zim leaped off of Dib and ran out of the garage. Stunned, Dib could only stare at the door Zim left open.

**Excuse me Dib, but what do you need it for?**

Only air escaped Dib's gaping mouth.

Dreams are only made of memories.


	6. Payback

**Chapter 6: Payback**

Darting through the threshold of ground-zero, Zim shifted to a halt. What did he say? What was he going to do? He knew what he was looking for, but why did he know this? Surely it was a good thing, but it didn't make him feel any better. As if something would go wrong if he remembered...

_But why?_

"Fith-k-k qur nitt ma!" Zim whipped around, only to face Dib's closet. Did he think that thought? That _English_ thought? _That filthy language of the humans..._

Zim shivered, startled by his own thoughts. His left eye then caught something moving in the closet, his curiosity commanded his hand to open the door. Inside, a creature of bizarre fashion stood before him. With a squeak, Zim fell back on Dib's laptop and continued to scoot back till he realized the creature was doing the same thing. Wait, the closet was too small to allow that thing any distance away from _Zim_...

Zim began walking up to the green creature only to have it come over too. Zim stopped. It stopped. It was mimicking Zim's every move. Every _gracious_ move... Wait, gracious? What was he, royalty? With those thoughts in mind only then did Zim recognize Zim. Zim pulled the wig off himself to get a better look.

_W-what happened to me? What happened to Zim...?_

Zim knew why those pictures unnerved him so. They were of him, _but why?_ Having no answer like all of the other questions... he placed his wig back on and picked up the laptop _he_ damaged. He looked the computer over.

_Why isn't he mad at me?_

That one confused Zim, why would Dib be mad in the first place? Well, mad with Zim anyways. Zim didn't want Dib mad... he didn't want him sad. Opening the squashed-top his mind filled with the unusual thought of insults.

_Pathetic, un-superior piece of technology!_

Well then, if Zim decided it wasn't good, Zim would make it great! He began tinkering with the laptop at speeds he couldn't question. He feared he'd forget what he was doing if he did so. He would just have to trust his _invader_ instincts.

_Wait, what?_

Invader? What was that? He didn't feel like he was invading anything... was he? Liquid built up in his eyes rising more questions and frustration. Closing the laptop up, he pushed it away.

_Why?_

He couldn't stop it, he would rub it away only for it to return with bigger drops that fell down his cheeks. Zim gently pressed his face in Dib's blanket, these things without words were so powerful... These_feelings_. Why? Why was it so bad to feel this way? Why was it wrong? He could feel his Squeedly Spooch twisted and turn nervously. _Why does Zim hurt?_

_Why hurt at all?_

Dib was playing a mean round of Pac-Man when Zim came back. "Wow Zim! What did you do to my lappy?" Zim did not give eye contact, he just mumbled something Irken as he held up the laptop. Like any normal child on Christmas, Dib giddily opened his new laptop and checked out it's data. "Wow! There's a whole new processor and stuff and I didn't lose any data!"

**Ready to Upload.**

"Ready to receive!" Dib grinned, turning to Zim. "How long did it take you to do that Zim?" Zim said nothing and kept his duct taped back facing Dib.

**Processing... PROCESSING!**

At the sound of an egg timer, the laptop was a translator in 78,501,638.4 alien dialects. "Sweeeeet!" Grinned Dib. "That's all ship."

**Understood; good day Dib.**

"As much as I would _love_ to play with this, we probably need to get you something to eat." Sighed Dib as he slipped out of the cockpit. Closing the garage door, he then realized that Zim didn't follow. "Hey Zim, food." Dib called out, Zim still sat on the ground picking up wood chips. "Stupid me..." mumbled Dib, "your still Zim." Dib returned to the room and sat beside him. "Hey, thanks."

Zim dropped the chip he held and turned to Dib, both dead and working eye bearing into Dib's which made him nervous; what did he do?

"I know how to solve this..." he grumbled as he opened his laptop and began to fiercely punch the keys.

"How-to-say-thank-you-in-Irken."

After a wait of twenty seconds the laptop came with the answer:

**In Irken culture, one does their work without any expectation of thanks. If one is truly grateful, then there is a possibility of promotion. But if they lack in height, I seriously doubt it.**

"What? So I can't repay you?" Dib scratched his head, "No wonder you're like you are, um... like you were." he turned to the screen again. "Well I know you eat, so I should at least tell you we're getting food." This time it took the computer ten seconds to show the Irken pronunciation in English. "What the-? How do you say that?" Dib groaned and turned the laptop to face Zim who was playing with the chips again. "Zim." He pointed at the Irken sentence above.

"Yusk-k-t nigh k-mai?!?" Exclaimed Zim.

"There we go." Dib smiled as he pushed himself up and limped out the garage door. Zim hopped up and stayed just right behind him, leaving no space between. Just like a little duckling.

Just like the cloud of unforgiving memory.

**...**

His sharp teeth continued to clatter inside the store. He had to constantly wrap his arms around his small body to stop the violent shivers. Dib himself had whipped his glasses from buildup steam, but it would come up again every time he exhaled.

Temperatures had dropped on their way into the city, fog mixed with the smog. It didn't improve in the store, as the heater was broken. Witnesses say a flying metal child had come in demanding bacon and ate the power lines when he was given ham. Victim said and I quote: _"Ham, bacon, it's all pig to me!"_

Zim tried to keep enthusiasm and pace behind Dib, but in under thirty minutes he was exposed to hideous, annoying and disgusting things. He couldn't remember, but he knew the feeling when he came across something... just horrible. This crowded place, he hated these people and their smelly noisy vehicles. The fog seemed to make his skin itch, no matter how much he scratched and rubbed it would come back worse than ever. He hated the other inhabitants too, and their smelly ways. He hated it SO MUCH! But most of all he hated this cold!

"C'mon Zim, I think the honey is in the next isle." Dib sighed as he picked up a twenty AA pack. He began to leave the electronics section but experience from the garage told Dib Zim wasn't going to follow. "Hey Zim, yuk teh nigh smeni, uh... mei-k nethway?" Zim's glare to Dib was menacing. "Crap, what did I say?" Dib placed his laptop on the counter and his fingers danced on the keyboard again.

**You are bored of food. And your head is big.**

"My head's not big!"

"Sure it's not; the batteries and laptop will be $12,056.43 plus tax." moaned the clerk.

"What?" Dib looked up to see a gallingly, pimply teen lean over the counter to him. "No it's not! It was mine already!" Scooping his property up, he tossed two dollars on the table and grabbed Zim by the hand leaving the store in a gallop.

"Security, we have a crazy big headed boy who just stole a case of AA's and a really crappy laptop." the teen droned into the speaker. Just in time for a young blonde lady to scream at high pitch breaking all the windows in the store. Cleshé.

Dib's grip on his hand really hurt him, and his legs were too stiff from the cold to keep up to Dib's long stride, he _hated_ it. "Fith karik-k-k nar tithith Dib!" He shouted pulling his hand back. It was his shout that stopped Dib, but more on the fact that he didn't want people to notice them.

"Shhhh! Zim, what's the matter?" he whispered. He was only given a glare and a series of clicks from Zim's throat. "C'mon Zim..." as Dib reach for Zim's hand again making Zim back away. "Why are you doing this? Zim!" With his own temper rising, Dib didn't really care when Zim began hollering Irken to the public when he got a good grip on his arm. Dib thought it would be easier to quite Zim if they got someplace private, in which he turned his heel to an alleyway.

"Eeaaaaugh!!! No! No Dib! No!" Zim cried struggling as hard as he could. His heels dug into the ground, his free hand clawing Dib's arm.

"Ow! Zim!" Dib dropped his laptop and grabbed Zim by the shoulders. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Something really was wrong, Zim only used two words; and he wasn't just shivering, he was shaking so bad he was almost a level below vibrate. Zim slowly closed his eyes as both heard the crash of cardboard boxes behind them. Dib felt dread began to swell up in his soul.

"See? I told you he comes here!"

Dib's eyes widened, his mouth dry. "T-Torque?"

"Who else, stupid?" Torque growled, "Hey, bro!"

"I heard ya, shorty." The elder teen leap off a garbage can, "All right punk, your gonna pay for what you did to mum with your life!"


	7. Too Bad

And now for something completely different. --John Cleese

* * *

**Chapter 7: Too Bad**

"Hello little girl."

"It's Gaz." she folded her arms staring at the man through slits in her eyes. _'Little girl? Brave comment to __say for a five foot man.'_

"Alright _Gaz_, will you answer some questions for me please?" the policeman pushed a finger on the record button.

"I guess..." she mumbled, shifting nervously in her seat.

"Good. Now where were you on-" His raspy cigar throat almost became white noise to her as she reflected the days events. In fact, everything was swell till she left the house for school. Zim was right, she shouldn't of gone. In fact, she felt guilty leaving him there with her stupid brother.

**...**

"_Whatcha doin' in this sack of potatoes?" Gir questioned a rock as Gaz passed by on her way to school. "How goes them pigs?"_

_Gaz groaned, she was really hoping that the robot wouldn't notice her, but ever since she started her personal piggy rescue that wasn't possible._

"_They are fine." she picked up pace, thinking maybe Gir wouldn't try keeping up with her the whole way._

"_Alllllllllll of tem? Squee wasn't doin' too good last thyme." He easily picked up her tempo; who was she kidding?_

"_He's a lot better now, the vet said he only had a little cold."_

"_Nahhhhhh! Piggies have big warm hearts! Like meeeeeeee!" Gaz couldn't help but chuckle._

"_Yep."_

"_Like you!" He pulled out a chips bag._

"_Hardly." she rolled her eyes, "At least, I hope not."_

"_This is for you!" he waved the bag in her face, taking her back a bit._

"_Thanks, I guess-"_

**...**

"Are you paying attention to me?" he slammed his hands on the counter top.

"I said no! Aren't you listening, or is this not the academy award interrogation you dreamed of?" she shouted back. _He really wasn't all that bad..._

**...**

"_I-I loves you piggy god!" He screeched at the top of his lunges before shooting off into a tree, setting it on fire._

"_Sure you do." As she greedily opened the bag. She was so caught up with Zim and what he could eat, she forgot to eat herself. So in all truth she was truly grateful to Gir. Upon opening it's wrapping she saw no food inside._

**...**

"People tell you have quite a reputation."

"Yea? If your smart you'll stop this." _Too bad he was never serious._

**...**

_Before she crushed the bag in her fists, she caught something shinny in the crumbs. She poured it's contents into her hand, crumbs fell through her lose fingers. What was left, was an earring. It was hideous with it's diamond encrusted center and it's edges laced with gold._

**...**

"You do drugs?"

"Sure, my brother is friends with Chuck Norris. They smoke earthworms together."_He couldn't hate anything she hated._

**...**

_She then recognized the earring's shape, a pirate's skull. With a small smile, she replaced her right ear's black cat with the her present._

**...**

"Do you think this is funny?"

"I think it's more on the tad side of stupid. What do you think?"_And yet, he loved everything she enjoyed._

**...**

_She was first in Health class after the lunch bell. Preparing herself for a nap, she dropped her backpack to the ground to find out that it was opened. "Funny..." she began zipping it back up till she noticed the papers. Pulling them out, she looked at the crayon scribbled details of dragons eating donuts, unicorns slaughtering flying apples, recipes for Cunningham Muffins and a demon and his minions river dancing._

**...**

"It was right there in front of you! You couldn't help yourself to the bounty so you took it all!"

"Dammit that's not what I said!"she sat up, dark anger rising. _He was really sweet._

**...**

_When the 'get-the-hell-to-work' bell rung the class was full of bored, annoyed teens. They all pulled out their cellphones, hand-held systems and binder paper for love notes. (Hey, this __is__ Health class)_

"_Gaz, you are wanted at the office." called out Ms. Herthdell, as she continued to write a love note of her own._

"_What?"_

"_Office. Now." she pointed at the door. Scowling, Gaz put the drawings in her binder and shoved that into her bag._

"_Whatever." Despite her words, she was happy that was would get to miss health. She only wondered why._

"_See officer? Here she is." The secretary crouched behind the desk._

"_Young lady, would you come with me?"_

"_It's Gaz. And hell if I'm going off with a stranger." The policeman laughed nervously._

"_I see you are wearing a nice earring, a present?"_

"_Yea, what of it?"_

"_Young lady, those were just shipped in yesterday. They were not to be on shelves for another month. Now if you'll come with me..."_

_**...**_

"So you're telling me that you have no idea who did it." he sat back, wiping the sweat off his brow.

"That's exactly what I just said." she glared back, she didn't dare grin. It would ruin all her hard work of getting Gir's butt out into the clear. Yes he was a robot, she was going to blame the hormones.

_It's was really too bad he was stupid._


	8. De ву で

**Ch****4****pt****3****R_88: ****D****e****f****e****ct****i****v****3**** - ****M****1****nD**

"G-guys-!" Dib twirled around, one hand holding Zim's shaking shoulder behind him; hoping desperately that they haven't noticed him yet. Dib pushed up his glasses but it made no difference, his sweat made his nose a water-slide. "I-I couldn't help it!" The elder curly red-headed teen looked down at them only with his eyes, no turn of head. Torque followed but kept distance.

"COULDN'T HELP IT?" He spat, making both Zim and Dib freeze. "Are you fucking kidding me?" Dib swallowed, he only sent Gir to deliver the homework, what the hell did the robot do?

"Aren't you guys overreacting?" Before the teen could shout again, a smaller voice peeped from behind.

"N-no!"

Shutting his eye's and bitting his lower lip Dib cursed himself. If Zim wasn't noticed before, he sure was now.

"Who is this?" Dib didn't have time to protest as he was grabbed bone crushingly by his right shoulder and was shoved into the brick wall.

"Dib!"

"I thought you said this bastard was a nobody!" He turned on his brother as Dib slid to the ground.

"He is Trevor! That's just Zim, another nobody!" Torque backed away nervously.

Zim ran over to Dib with tears in his eyes, his mind in udder chaos of thought. "Dib?" Zim's wide eyes looked into Dib's who seemed to have no focus of the world. "Dib?" Zim shook him softly, "D-Dib!" his eye's widened to the blood trickle that ran down Dib's forehead. "D-Dib? P-please... no!" he whispered and shook Dib again. Dib's eyelids fluttered as he fell to the floor. "D-Dib?"

"Are you some sort of a emo gay freak?" Zim felt himself picked up, "Hey Torque hold 'em." and Zim was tossed into the air _again_. Memories of pain and a pole ran through his mind he curled up but instead he was caught in rough callused hands. "You got 'em?"

"Yeah."

"Hold him up good so I can give him a good beating."

"But bro, Zim had nothing to do with this!"

"If he's with Dib, he's every fucking thing with this!"

"K..." As much as Zim yanked, this wasn't Dib he was fighting against. This was a kid who lifted weights every day to impress his older brother.

_Wait...!_

"What's on his bag? Duct tape? Is he a gay punk too?" He strutted over hands out in front.

"No! Nooo! No!" Zim kicked his legs fiercely at Trevor but they both got grabbed by one large hand. His other hand pulled back cracking into a rock-hard fist. In under a second, Zim saw the fist blur. The last thing Zim heard was a crack.

The first thing Dib heard when he woke was a clack.

Though he was the farthest thing from cold, he was shaking all over. Adjusting his glasses, he watched Trevor pull the duct tape off of Zim PAK and then try to open the PAK itself.

"The fucking thing won't open!" He ripped Zim from Torque's grip making him flinch and step back when he slapped Zim to the ground.

_'Oh my god...!'_ Dib pushed himself to his feet, but it was much too soon as the world fell into simple shapes and danced about him. "Z-Zi-" Holding back the gurgling vomit in his throat, his arms reached out to anything to prevent his collapse. He felt other hands squeeze his shoulders. Dazed, Dib tried to focus to the wavering figure above.

"This is for mom you bastard!"

_Bro, did you see? Yea, that wasn't Dib! Shit! Who the hell was that? I don't know, I- I don't know... Don't start breaking up on me! I- I'm sorry! Oh my god... Oh my god..._

**Memory recovery. Zzzzt-t-t-t ...**

_You jerk!_

**Memory reLapse. Unit must self-destruct. No! Code REwritten. I am Zim! Need (no) code over right, defective. Termina473. No, I am... me. Please...**

"Release the Dib-stink, sharin-k-k in nigth! Pathetic_ hyumans_!"

Both froze, but neither obeyed Zim's order in time. Impatient spider legs flew from the PAK and thrust themselves into Torque's and Trevor's backs, neither had time to scream as they were thrown far over Zim's head and over a rooftop. "Foolish inferiors..." Zim growled, anger growing as the legs folded themselves back into place in his PAK. A feeble groan began to dissipate the anger. When Zim turned his focus to Dib, it dropped right there.

"Dib?" Zim picked up Dib's surprisingly unbroken glasses on his way to Dib's back which faced Zim. Commanding his PAK again, the legs zoomed out and carefully turned the Dib, creating a larger puddle of red liquid to pour into the crevasses and cracks of the cold cement.

Such a sight stung Zim's eyes; such a sight made his Squeedly Spooch turn and twist in the most painful of positions. "D-Dib?" he choked, forcing himself to look at the clouds who's dark Grey bodies swelled dangerously with water. A few warning drops came down, tapping the ground lightly.

Pulling off his wig, he used it to soak up the blood on Dib. Ripping all the pieces of Gaz's jacket, he tied them around the pressure points he remembered learning somewhere... a smelly room called Health class.

"D-Dib..." Zim's voice trembled in his ear. "We need t-to... we need to..." He couldn't fight it anymore, the last time he messed with his PAK's emotion virus was weeks ago. Iridescent liquid poured down his cheeks, giving a look much like when gasoline mixes with water. He placed his head gently on Dib's, sobbing. Somewhere in his mind, a laugh was heard in the term of events. He was out of the way, nothing to stop him... _What is wrong with me? He helped me!_

_Zim's mission is now secure! Finnish him off!_

_What mission? No! There must be another way!_

**Unit fully a-a-aa-acting on defective program. Must preForm emergency ac-k-k-kt.**

Zim fell back from Dib as he was electrocuted by his PAK.

**Unit will not resist pUrific-k-k-k-k-kation.**

"N-nooo-oo!" Zim shut his eyes, feeling the icy poison of water on his face. "I want to LIVE!"

**Defectiv3, you will d13 in honor.**

Lights danced around Zim as the electric blue burned his flesh. "What sort of honor is this? I'd rath- Eaughck!" Zim crashed into loosely tied up garbage bags as another spark erupted from his PAK. "T-take this!" He swung an empty vodka bottle.

KURTCH!

**UNLock.**

His PAK fell to the floor, red numbers in his mind set up the ten minute warning, Zim turned to the PAK and opened it contents. 09:46. Spider legs sprang out to protect itself as he searched the unorganized pack that he himself had redesigned to help prevent him from thinking... 09:11, 08:47, defective. A patch of yellow and orange stripes 08:10, the last and only chip not redesigned by him... 07:58. He is Zim... 07:47. He was... 07:42. Removing it would remove his licence-

07:35

07:34

07:33

He ripped it out. Gabbing the glass bottle once again he bashed it against the chip. 07:26. Fragments flew, 07:13. Even as the PAK started strangling him he didn't stop till the chip became fine power and then a bubbling liquid as the rain broke out into a violent storm, 06:43, the overwhelmed PAK collapsed beside him, overflowing with water. 06:35. Staggering up, Zim picked up his PAK and poured out the acid before placing it back were it belonged. 06:27.

Set and locked.

**Ktch! Thhh... tk-k-k-k-k... Eruasssed... myyynd gaaymes... shhhh-kt-k-k-kt-Erkin.**

**Kshhhhhhh... ouuuu...**

Stumbling over, Zim stood over Dib. Mind muddled in pains of recurring memories and programs as the PAK began it's work again, telling the unconscious body how to live.

"Zim doesn't give up... and neither shall you."

Picking Dib up as carefully as he could, Zim began pulling him out of the alleyway and towards something familiar, home.

**...**

"My Tallest! My Tallest! I have the news of a lifetime!" A communications officer ran up throwing himself on the floor before them, hoping they would forgive his sudden interruption.

"Really?"

"Comfimue." Purple said through mashed fries.

"Code pack: n33Dt0L1V3/Fr3 is offline!"

"Irkens die every day. What so special about this one?" Red crossed his arms.

"Hey, I'm trying to eat fries here." Purple pointed out.

"Sir, code: n33Dt0L1V3/Fr3 is Zim!" Purple spews his chewed fries on top of Red.

"Sweet mother of Irk! He's dead?" they exclaimed in unison, Red more or less so disgusted.

".........."

"Whoa, sorry there..."

**...**

_Masta! What happened to mah masta? Augh! Stay away you freak! Squeak! That goes for you too! Zim your PAK status said you died. Zim is far from death as you see! Ahhh!!! Silents! AHHH!!! Now tell me why I know I can get help here! Zim, this is your base. What happened to Mary? CHICKEN! Please help me, I don't know if Dib will...! Get out! GET OUT! Noooooo! But I wanna watch the scary monkey shoooow! I demand that you help Zim! Meh! Keep that thing away from Zim! Mary had a little lamb, little lamb, little..._

_Irken...?_

_I hate you._

_Yay!_

_I... I just don't know anymore... Just,. don't die... just don't... please... Dib..._

In a violent sneeze, Dib woke up to a television lit room, the screen played black and white flashes, it's volume was soft whips through the living room giving it the essence as if it were a chapel. The horrible wallpaper told him that he was in Zim's house.

Dib sifted himself up on the pillow and blanket ridden couch. The ice bag on his head slid off and rolled over by a familiar green two-toed foot.

"Zim?" The little Irken who was on the opposite side of the couch made no response, his tear streaked face was nearly dry. His head was tilted back, with small puffs of breath admitting and dismissing from his ajar mouth.

"Zim?" he asked a little louder. Zim as it seemed, was sound asleep. "Well I shouldn't disturbe you, I guess..." as he reached for the remote in Zim's hand. As the slim fingers felt the remote leave his grasp, he sat up and aimed the laser gun he had in his left to Dib's head.

_**You jerk!**_

"Whoa, Zim!" Dib attempted to rise his hands in the air but the sore, cramped, scared muscles told him otherwise. "Ahh! Ouch..."

"Oh... sorry Dib, I thought it was the insane robot coming back for more..." Zim tossed the gun behind the couch with a clunk.

"You mean Gir?" Dib rubbed his arms, "That might explain my weird dreams... wait! Zim! You can speak English!"

"Si."

"What all do you remember?"

"Nothing much..." he mumbled, as he aimed the remote to the television and turned it off, leaving only the moonlight shining through the purple curtains, the open refrigerator in the next room, and Zim's left eye that emitted a pale maroon glow as the only sustainable light.

"A little of everything from everywhere... I don't think I have a nice life."

"You don't think-? Why?"

"Every memory I have is so full of... full of lonely."

"Lonely?" Dib scooted closer to Zim.

"Just Zim and himself. I seem to try to fix my PAK constantly to remove these viruses-"

"Viruses? Zim, are you sick-?"

"Stop interrupting Zim and he will tell!" He spat into Dib's face.

"K..." He scooted back, wiping his face. "Sorry..."

"I remember that a properly functioning Irken has feelings like all other beings. They are just toned down to a point were they aren't much of a problem. Something wasn't done right with me... my PAK. I can't stop creating these... strong emotions. And... Zim thinks... Zim thinks Zim broke a non replaceable chip..." he rubbed his arms nervously, "He also thinks that not many like him."

Zim was also right, but Dib couldn't bring himself to tell him yet. So instead he nodded along.

"And someone in my head keeps calling me a jerk." he pointed to himself as his antennae dropped nearer to his face.

"A jerk?" Dib tried to not feed to much into that remark, he knew very well who Zim was talking about.

"Yes, the voice sounds very much like yours."

An awkward silence grew between the two, both aware that each mind trying to race towards something... but what was there to gain? Memories... memories aren't forgotten lightly... trails aren't easily disguised by those who are familiar. Zim gripped tightly at the blankets thinking, nothing is aloud to get past him without his saying so. Nothing is aloud rights to make him act the way he acted now. But he couldn't get the answers from himself...

"Dib?"

"Yea?"

"Zim knows you know!" Suddenly he was inches to Dib, who caught off-guard made him feel embarrassed. "When I was found in that alleyway by you I knew your name! Why is this? Why your name and nothing else but MINE?"

"Z-Zim! Wha-? I-I!"

"Not even of this 'mission' that I'm supposed to accomplish!" Zim roared grabbing Dib's collar with his right while his left wove around, now they were _waaaaay_ too close for Dib, he felt the heat rising from his face.

"Zim....!"

"I feel like I'm suppose to be above something! Why do these feelings hurt so much?" they were so close now that Dib could swear that they were breathing each other's exhaled air.

"...Zim!"

"Dib...! I feel like I'm getting nowhere!"

"Z-Zim!"

"Every time I think of you-"

"ZIM!"

"WHAT?"

"Let me get a word in, dammit!" Dib grabbed Zim's hands and yanked them off his collar. Zim's eyes began to tear up again. "Zim...?"

"What ever it was, Zim is sorry!" he cried into Dib's chest. "Zim doesn't wanna be a jerk!"

_What?_

"Zim..." Dib sighed, patting Zim's head and antennae. "I... I'm..." he was interrupted by a sudden clicking purr, he stopped patting and it began to silents itself.

"Oh yea, you purr when your happy right?" he gave a weak chuckle and stroked the antennae again, creating the soft, safe atmosphere again.

_I'm... I'm sorry too._


	9. Blue Screen

**Chapter 9: Offline**

"_But Zim doesn't want to stay here. Can't he stay at your house?."_

"_We can't risk that it might rain. You stay here, alright? You'll be fine, everyth-"_

"_My stomach's full of toads! Yaaay!!! I'm gonna be sick!" (throwing up noises inserted here)_

That was how Dib left the house in the morning. He didn't feel good about leaving Zim there, but what other choices did he have? He left Gaz by herself, with no pizza. It was only right that she'd kill at least one of them. _Hmf_, death had a whole new meaning to him now. _Heck, this whole ordeal sucked..._

Last night was so weird, they fell asleep on the couch _together_. Other than it being... well, weird... and, and _different_ it didn't feel _wrong_. Them being friends, being buddies... how the hell does that work out? How did it work out? Would it last? Even if Zim remembered why he was here? Even if he remembered everything? Would it still be okay?

_It would be cool if it did._

"WHERE... WERE... YOU?"

"At Zim's house."

"FOR... TWO... DAYS?"

"Yep."

"DO YOU REALISE I WAITED THREE HOURS FOR YOU AT SCHOOL TUESDAY?"

"Sorry, I-"

"I HAD NO BATTERIES; SO I LOST MY GAME!"

"You've beaten it hundreds of times already."

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN GET... PIZZA!"

"I know." He continued to answer calmly as he reached for the last soda in the fridge.

"I got arrested."

"Nice." Dib nodded, breaking the pressure in the can and began chugging it's sweet frizzyness...

"Wow," Gaz folded he arms, the exaggerations growing with her eyes, "did you finally get laid or something?"

"_WHAT?_ *COUGH!HACK!HACK!!!* NO!" Dib spewed and heaved through the drink.

"Finally! I got to you!" Gaz's rolled her eyes, throwing him a towel, (literally!) "Then what were you doing all that time at Zim's house?"

"Not THAT..." Dib's shacking of his head ended in a twitch. "I got the crap beaten out of me by the Smacky brothers..."

"Did you know they were on the news?"

"Huh?"

"They broke into some old woman's apartment, through a window. The weird thing was that there were no footprints anywhere outside the apartment, not from the fire escape or roof... Like they came from the sky. I think it either happened yesterday or the day before."

"Huh..." Finished drying himself, Dib began climbing the stairs to his room.

"So... can we get pizza tonight?" She called up.

"Did you say you got arrested?" He called back as he looked for his backpack, gear, and a new shirt amongst the debris.

"Gee, your waking up; yea I did. They thought I was responsible for the jewelry theft that happened Monday." she followed Dib up the stairway as he added the sticky shirt to his growing collection on the floor.

"You don't like jewelry." _Damn, _he forgot his laptop in the alley.

"Dad is coming home tomorrow. _Please_ Dib?" she leaned against the door frame. "Wow, in the condition you leave your room; you put other slobs to shame."

"Ha, ha, Gaz." He opened his closet. "Please what?"

"Pizza." she spoke in monotone, "I thirst for pizza."

"Sure Gaz, whatever." Just grabbing an anonymous shirt, he pulled it over his face. "Hey do you know of the alleyway by Nomad's street? I think there's a 'Meaty Meats' there."

"Yea I know of it. You went there a lot last year of middle skool, something about it being a portal to the world of 'Were-Gorillas', but that was years ago."

"What? I don't remember that. But the middle skool is close to it. Gaz, I think I left my laptop there. Could you get it?" Dib regretted those words as soon as they were spoken, Gaz was laughing hysterics.

"You left your LAPTOP? T-there? Hahaha! That's really good-"

"_Please_, Gaz?"

"Sure Dib, whatever." she smirked and left the room. Dib had to put himself on pause, he would've sworn something went De-ja-vu... Were-Gorillas were sounding familiar... and ridiculous.

_To forget is not something you normally do on purpose._

**...**

"Class, I am proud to announce something... just HORRIBLE!" The continually aging Ms. Bitters let her wrinkled right hand shakily rise to the air, making the lights in the room flicker.

"There's food for lunch?"

"Dib's here today?"

"The bathrooms weren't cleaned again?" mumbled Gretchen.

"No yes no. But that's not what I was talking about." Ms. Bitters took one of her clawed fingernails cut a circle around the word DOOM on the white-board, (oh look, the school finally updated from the blackboard) "Your homework assignments from Monday are due!" Dib closed his eyes and let his head fall to the table.

"What?" Said a kid who was there all week.

"There was an assignment?" Said the same kid. A kid beside the same kid began to cry.

"I was sick that day!" Shouted Terence. Many slash most of the kids nodded their heads in agreement like agreeable bobble heads.

"You aren't going to get away with that!" The ceiling lights flickered again, the mouse that was causing the shortages finally burnt out and fell on Marty's desk. "You should of gotten your homework all the same!" she suddenly disappeared in a cloud of black smoke that came from somewhere and appeared behind Dib in the same fashion, but this time expected. "Dib! For giving these kids a false sense of hope; you are going to DETENTION!"

"Dah dah, duuuuun!" snickered a few of the class mates.

"How did you become my Elementary, Middle AND High skool teacher?" Dib hissed under his breath, collecting his belongings. "I MUST be cursed..."

"Detention Dib! OUT!" spat Ms. Bitters, making Dib glad for the two clear shields on his face. "And while your at it..." she called out to him as he stood in the door frame, "you might as well see the new counselor, I hear he's new." A stiff nod, and Dib left the room bitterly. That was not a pun.

"I should've stayed home, stayed someplace or _something_..." he said out loud to himself down the hall, finding himself thinking about the little alien's sad face upon seeing him leave his house/base, "I hope... I hope Zim is doing alright..."

**...**

"Would you like some Mario's in your tea?" holding up a green teacup, Gir dropped a Gameboy colour in the black water and began to stir.

"No." Zim mumbled in his folded arms.

"How 'bout some taquitos?" as he decided his drink wasn't salty enough and begun to drop in fries as if they were flies.

"I don't want any tea, Gir!" he snapped up from the table, "I'm not hungry..." Zim sat down again, resting his chin on the table, "I'm only... bored."

"But Mary said Mastas gotta eat!" Gir said between bites of Zim's teacup, the black water that flowed from Gir's mouth began to melt the table top leaving a glossy finish.

"Yes Zim, you aren't looking too well." echoed the computer, "Oh, what did you want me to do with plan number 034.A2, it's grown past black mold state and is infesting test room 038.A2. Personally, I think it's starting to affect my well being."

"Me toooo." Gir mooed, Mini Moose agreed sadly with a squeak.

"Clean it up then; Zim feels..." he paused, nipping his lower lip. "very... hurt." laughing followed after a few short seconds from the computer.

"Hurt? That's hardly_ invader_ talk."

"_Invader_? But, I am Zim!" Zim's left eye narrowed in confusion at the ceiling. The ceiling stayed put where it was.

"Meh?" the purple moose floated by Zim's head, "Squeak, eep eep. Squeak?"

"Your a cute little guy..." a small smile appeared on Zim's face, "But your presences frightens me a bit."

"Would you look at the time!" exclaimed Gir, pointing at the black water, which continued it's escape out of the kitchen, "LOOK AT IT!!! ITS A MARVOLUS DISPLAY OF FRESH PRODUCE!!!"

"Earth time I believe is 11:61 am."

Silence.

"Has it been that long already; computer?"

"Uuhhhmmm... Yea."

"Mea!" Mini Moose nipped the end of Zim's sleeve and began tugging him towards the trash can.

"Wha-? Mini-"

"Squeak!" he tugged harder and because he was a powerful nuclear warhead, he easily pulled Zim of the chair and into the trashcan.

"R-release Zim at once!"

"Meh!" he pulled Zim onto the elevator platform.

"Yay! We're making out like Whooping Cranes!" Gir danced over and stepped on the lever, making a violet light shine from above.

"Why does no one listen to Zim?" Zim called out as he watched the light above him become smaller and smaller and smaller.

As elaborate as the underground labs were, it was familiar... if not a bit weird. Catacombs of rooms large and small. All nicely lit with soft lights, nothing too bright but everything could be well seen. Mini Moose directed Zim to a storage containment lab, boxes layered the walls and most of the floor.

"Gir was supposed to direct me here... once." as he was nudged into a floating chair. Mini Moose waved his nubby hand in front of each maroon eye to see the reactions in both.

"Meh!" Zim squirmed as Mini Moose tugged on the earring on his right antennae.

"Ow! Stop-" Mini Moose gave a look at Zim before examining his PAK. "There's nothing wrong with my PAK..." Zim wrapped his arms around his legs, "It's my head that hurts... and my digestive tract." Mini Moose shook his head and continued the examination as if he thought Zim was crazy. A mechanical arm came from the ceiling holding a camera, the little moose floated out of the way as more arms came to join it.

"That chip is irreplaceable." noted the computer, recalling the arms back.

"What chip? Was it important?"

"Squeak!"

"You sure?" the moose randomly spun through the air in a weird floaty dance and out the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Zim leaped off the chair and after his only way out. "Come back!" In the hallway he stopped, looked both ways for the flying mammal. "Mini Moose?" he asked softly. "Mini?" Nothing. Zim rubbed his arms nervously.

"F-fweth-k-k chik niegh?"

"_Kik-k-k-k-k-k-k...._"

Maybe it was from the left, no. Wait, the right? No, that was wrong too. Zim took a step back a turned towards the storage room again.

"Hello? Little moose?"

Something was wrong, that wasn't the storage room. This is was different; a whole new setup. A whole new layout.

"Dib?"

"_Kisk-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k...._"

Sensing movement, Zim dove into the next room. Rolling into a wall, he stayed put in a painful dazed position watching mechanical arms from above preform their work.

"_Kisk-kik-k-k-k... kik..._"

"Ooh... Silly Zim, the sounds is the computer working out the kinks in plan 4501; mutated humming bird beavers!" he smiled to himself, "Heheh, beavers are- Hey!" jumping to his feet, he did a small victory pose. "I remembered something! Hey, Dib! Gir! I...!" he was talking to nobody. An empty room full of movement but no life. No one to rejoice with him but himself. "Hurray for me..." his arms dropped to his sides.

He remembered this too, he knew it all too well. It followed him from his birth and it continued to follow him and millions of others still. He was supposed to be alone; Invaders needed no one. No one could love an Irken. It wasn't pure. So that's the way it was; to love and be loved back, served no purpose for the Empire, not anymore. Alone, with only the sound of AI to keep him company. Mass production of units removed all concern of the thousands that died every month from this way of life. Without a word they could remove themselves from this world with a push of a button. The PAK would be removed of this information and put on another Irken, another unit. No questions asked, none were aloud to. There was no such thing as comfort, of warmth, of love. Such words were banished from the Irken languages. Banished from the way of life, banished from thought.

_You heartless beast!_

"Computer!"

"What is it, master?"

"I need you to-" As Zim turned the corner Gir popped out the nearest container spilling foam corn everywhere.

"SUPRISED!" In Zim's shock he knocked himself into the next batch of boxes making white puffs fly across the hall filling the room in a sea of foam.

"GIR!" Zim rose his arms in the air, "YOU HORRIBLE ROBOT! WHEN I GET A HOLD OF YO-" he stopped , his mind swelling with feelings... with memories. "I need to..." he fought back the tears in his eyes, and turned it to anger. "Contact the Tallest!" he wriggled himself free of the foam and ran across it's surface to the nearest elevator. "Computer! Take me to the communications room!"

"You remember meeee!" Gir cried as he zoomed into the air and back to hug his master.

"What _ever_ for?" groaned the ceiling.

"Zim has neglected his leaders! He must tell them that everything is working still!" as Zim fought off the deranged robot.

"But Zim-"

"You dare question ME? Do what Zim says!" he crossed his arms, still kicking Gir to the floor.

"Yea sure, whatever..."

Down in his chambers, Zim's hands danced across the touch pad as his one good eye focused on the screen. "Computer! Help me hack into the Massive's communications so I may speak with the Tallest!"

"I can't do that."

"Yes you can! I programed that into you myself! Do it now!"

"No master, you don't get it."

"What doesn't Zim get?"

"All connections are shut off master, as I said before your PAK said you didn't exist anymore. The chip that holds your I.D. is gone. There is nothing connecting us to the Empire anymore."

_What?_

_N-no...!_ He couldn't believe it, he just wanted... They... No... they just... But... no... not like _this_... They... they _couldn't _be... They _wouldn't..._

"Gone like a tuna fish sandwich!" Gir slithered on the floor, giggling madly.

"Zim has..." he fought hard to get some alien saliva into his mouth, "Zim has been... accidentally _banished_?"

"Sure seems like it." If the computer has eyes, he would of rolled them but it's okay because I have assured you that he doesn't have any eyes.

"But..." as dry as his mouth was, his eyes were certainly not. A stream from his only good eye ran down his face.

"I am in needs of plastic surgery!"

"WHY?" Zim cried.

"Why lookit my face! Theys has hands on them!" Gir puckered his up his lips and started imitating a fish on steroids.

"Zim, your a defect. They were going to drop you first chance they-"

"ZIM IS NO DEFECT! ZIM IS PERFECT! ZIM IS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, ONLY BETTER!"

The computer did not respond, it's essence, as it were, left to another room to work out an easier problem. "I'll get you... Dib... I'll... Torque... this is your fault in the first place! I'll kill you... wait, no. I will destroy your lives like you did mine!" he posed, not caring that no one was there agreeing with him, hoping the best luck for him, "Zim likes revenge!"

"Yay!" Gir stood on his head, "Just like old times when the acorns sung about Bobs named sponges!" Out of nowhere, the purple moose popped in flying in a drunken manner high over their heads; especially Gir's.

"Mea! Squeaky squeak! Mea mea! Me squeak, squeak! Squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak! Me me squeak me mea!" (He said this all very fast.)

"Mary's back!" Gir rejoiced and ran out the room, straight through a wall and into a furnace in the search for his doggy suit. "Call the lord cause I'm melting!"

"Is he now?" One swipe of his gloved hand removed the tears, a crooked grin replacing the recently doubtful face, "Well well then, you first, worm-baby..." Grabbing a few choice weapons off the table, Zim made his way to the trashcan elevator. _'I refuse to be a defective! These feelings mean nothing to me! I will do what I was ordered to do! I will not commit actions caused by these emotions! I will not fall, I will be strong! For I am Zim!'_


	10. Losing You to Hypocrisy

**Chapter 10: Losing You to Hypocrisy**

The intentions were clear coming up in the elevator. He was ready to do it, right then right now. No thoughts of doubt came into mind. He deserved it; he brought it on himself. Zim was sure of it.

**...**

Waiting for the light to change, he crossed the street. Dib wished he listened to Zim. He would apologize, they could be friends. No more of this crap. He was tired of being on the wrong end of everything. He was sure Zim felt the same way.

"Zim!" Dib dogged the gnomes and slammed the door behind him. The living room was empty, so Dib decided to search the house, "Zim, we need to talk!" Passing the television, he heard a click in his right ear. Snapping his head to the right, his eyes focused on the end of the violet gun. "Wha-?" Dib fell fast on his rear.

"Dib you sink-beast! I-" Everything faltered after those words, his left hand was shaking. He couldn't focus, pulling the trigger was out of the question with this gun. Anger was almost completely swiped away with a whole new feeling... as more memories began filling the blank spaces. He still wanted him to suffer, right?

_He didn't understand._

"Z-Zim?"

"This is your fault!" He tried to bring himself forward towards the Dib; these guns were safer at point blank. But it felt as if his feet were rooted to that spot, as impossible as it was for his body to grow roots.

"My fault?" Dib carefully stood up, "Zim, whats going on?"

"I-I hate you!" screamed Zim, he forced his eyes closed. He knew hehated him, he knew he really wanted him dead, these feelings are just the excitement, the thrill of wining... ...Right?

**...**

"_Speak understandable words to Zim!" Zim grabbed the bloody shirt and pulled the unconscious head to his face. "Dib!"_

**...**

**He still doesn't remember everything...**

"Maybe I can help-"

"No! You've done your helping, you-" Dib flinched as the gun was shoved into his giant forehead. Zim grin died, he could shoot now. He could- he could... squeeze the trigger.

**...**

"_Zim, do you... do you have a wish?"_

_Zim shifted his position on the couch so his left eye could see him better, "Wish? What is that?"_

"_Something you want, like a goal." Dib snatched his glasses beside the lamp, "Something that keeps you going."_

"_Right now? I'd like to remember. Zim feels like a fool..." Zim nipped on one of the blankets, "Does Dib have a wish?"_

"_I did, but now I'm not sure..."_

"_Not... sure?"_

"_Yea, but it's okay." He gave a little smile to Zim, "There's a lot of things I need to work out before I know what I really want." They both returned their eyes to the black and white movie playing before them. A man with a thick black mustache and eyebrows gave yet another wisecrack about the government while his two brothers in the background tried to woo a fair young maid._

"_There are quite a few words in your language that seem to only be explainable in your language, your culture, Dib." Zim took Dib's hand and his eye followed the lines on his palms to his fingers, till it faded along the borders. "I think I got the idea now, or again... and I wish to use it in a sentence for you."_

"_Really?" Dib removed his eyes from the nut house movie over to Zim, this ought to be good. Knowing Zim, this could be anything, including flying fish chewing bubble gum while fishing (that had happened before when Zim was given the false information of a popular insult at middle school)._

"_You have done a lot for me, I wish there was a way to pay you back. I love you." Zim grinned and hugged Dib's left hand. Dib's face faltered, but quickly returned the smile and a chuckle,_

"_V-very funny Zim..."_

**...**

He dropped the gun. Falling to the floor, Dib watched his blood fly and land on the floor... on him... on Zim.

"Z-Zim...?" he managed to sputter, the alien refused to make eye contact. Grabbing his leg, Dib tried to put as much pressure on it as he could to stop the blood from running. Zim's next words were barely heard.

"Get out."

**He doesn't remember anything...**

"What?"

"OUT!" Grabbed by the scruff of his shirt, Dib was choking till he was tossed out onto the front lawn, which was fresh dry and green from the day's sunlight. "GNOMES, DISPOSE OF THIS CREATURE!"

"Wait, Zim! What-" Slam! The door closed as the Gnomes closed in on Dib. "What... WHAT THE HELL?" he screamed at the door as he was dragged off, "ZIM YOU JERK!"

_You jerk._

"I have a duty, and so have you..." he leaned against the door and slid to the tiled floor, "I-I just don't know how to live..." hugging his legs and hiding his face from the essence leaking into the room, filling the house again in it's silent dread, it's frozen hand.

"-because I love you darling! Let's go to the Himalayas!" as the man on the television screen ran to embrace a woman by the sandy beach, did I mention that there was a sunset too?

"Oh Harry, I love you too! Oh yes, yes, yes!" She leaped to him, their lips contacted into a passionate kiss as they became shadows and the rest of the screen turned black indicating the end of the movie. Zim shot a nasty glance at the screen. This television mocked him of everything he lacked, of everything he could never have.

"Zim will not be made a fool!" He pushed himself up and grabbed the gun, aiming it at the screen.

"As you saw in this wonderful movie, love is a wonderful thing that can conquer any-!" The gun showed what it was truly designed for at point blank with machinery, causing an implosion removing all space of air and the nuclear chemicals forced to meld together to cause it's explosion shredding it's parts like flesh covering an eternal bomb.

He wanted to scream, he wanted to shout, but the aftermath silents of the remains did a better job of soothing him. Tears ran down his heated face, but he let them stay. More would only come if he tried to stop it, "Zim can do that better without anybodies help..." Love was a word with so many meanings, perhaps it was the wrong thing to say. What was he thinking? It's always the wrong thing to say.

"Ugh, disgusting. There's germs all over me."

**...**

After dragging his body to the out-of-bounds, the gnomes treated Dib's leg.

"All right, what's the catch-? Shh!" he bite his lip as one of the gnomes poured a mist over his leg which cleaned and doubled the speed growth of the missing tissue. "Shi- What the heck is that?" The robotic gnomes, trained to only obey one master just continued their work, (which is more than Gir ever did) then hovered back into their dugout places.

Carefully, he lifted his leg in the air to get a better look at what they did. All what remained of the blast now was covered with clean, sickly pale skin. "Should I... try to walk?" he asked a nearby gnome. No answer but a few flickering red lights from the pupils. Dib decided to just give it a try.

Using the fence as support, he kept is mildly injured foot on the ground while testing his tender leg. Dib managed to hold back a strong word behind his teeth as he lifted his foot off the ground. _So I'm hopping home AGAIN?_ Dib looked up at Zim's house, the lavender windows flickering lights from inside; probably working on another plan to take over the planet. _Why did I think things would be any different?_ Checking the road, Dib did a combo of a limp/hopping across the warming pavement. Gabbing the light post he steadied himself, and looked up to the sky.

What little there was of clouds were in small thin patches, going their own slow pace eventually disappearing altogether. The Sun blared its heat across the wet surfaces, evaporating puddles and replacing them with mirages. Ironic, such a scene would be used for happy endings, not the beginning of continuing strife. _I want to go... home..._ Dib removed his glasses for a brief second to remove the beads of sweat and tears from his face. He had no idea what to think what would happen tomorrow, what he would do, how to react; should he just act like nothing happened this week? Should he just... forget? _Zim seems to have __forgotten already..._

_Dammit!_

Dib decided to take a shortcut home and cut across the park. _Why didn't I turn him in?_ As strong as his desire was to punch an innocent tree, he left each one he passed alone. He was practically a handicap by now with the condition of his legs, he didn't need to add anymore to his hands. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ _That might have been my only opening!_ The first unused bench he saw within reasoning distance Dib collapsed upon. He removed his glasses and protected his eyes from the Sun with his left arm.

_I was going to do it._

He shifted to his side, in his blurry vision he saw newspapers under the bench. Grabbing the driest ones, he made himself a thin stiff pillow. Allowing himself the first deep breath in a long while, his mind began to clear.

_I ...thought about it._

Uncut grass swayed to a small breeze, the only blossomed flowers came from numerous spiky weeds scattered in clumps across the field and mild pine forest. Traffic was white noise to this small place; an occasional caw from hopeful crows would be heard, as they waited for the public to ignore the trashcans and litter their streets. Dib closed his eyes and turned his head to the back of the bench.

_That is, till he cried._

Zim was just as innocent as any starving four year old in a candy store. He didn't know any better and he did his best with what he knew. As exhausted as his body was, his mind was never more awake than before. Maybe, maybe, he still had a chance. After all, memories or no memories, Zim was still Zim when he said those words... right?

_**There are quite a few words in your language that seem to only be explainable in your language, your culture... I think I got the idea now, or again... and I wish to use it in a sentence for you.**_

_No! It's wrong, and... stuff!_ Dib flinched as he mentally smacked himself. Nerves tensing up, he started to clean his glasses roughly trying to un-tense his fingers.

_**I-I hate you!**_

_He was more himself-self when he said that._ He sat up and placed the lens on top of his nose. _Maybe it was shock from the sudden recollection of memory._ _Yea...!_ He smiled, he's been in worse situations and he always came out alright in the end, Zim just needed time to think. Last thing Zim would do would to admit that he was wrong, but that didn't matter... _Maybe, we can still be friends... Of course we'd have to work out something about the whole taking-over-the-planet-complex._

Dib chuckled to himself. _Who am I kidding? We are waaay too different._ As he balanced himself he searched for the next bench to hobble towards, now a different desire came over him. Going home for comfort was a lame excuse considering the lack of it there was at the house. But in the garage, there was someone who understood him, even if she was programed to do so. _It's been awhile since I've drove her, maybe her personal repairs are nearly finished... _Dib started to swell up with excitement, and started to pickup speed, _Maybe, maybe I can leave the atmosphere this time!_ Tears began to leak from his eyes, not just from using his right leg for jogging but the idea of leaving this planet, his true dream, his true desire before Zim came.

To put it simply, he hated this planet.

The last minor repairs were awkward and had involved stealing things from Zim's base. Then there had to be weeks of reprogramming seemingly simple programs. Yet it seemed whatever technology was given to Zim, the simplest platform turns into an in-depth system that could think mildly for itself. Which for that exact reason, is why Tak's ship asked for it.

Stopping by a tree, he had decided to give his exhausted body a rest. Sliding against the bark, his mind began to settle itself. _It's still possible, maybe... maybe..._

_**I love you.**_

A small shudder and a smile fluttered in before he bit his lip. He had laughed at Zim. Right when things were going so well... dammit, why did he have to say that? His mind began to fog up again, but more in a daze. Every idea that crossed his mind was countered with another thought just as reasonable and confused.

Those dreams he's been having for weeks were flooding his mind again; as if they were memories... Phantom pains hit his chest and arms, police lights as fluttering butterfly wings, groaning voices from a not to gone past... It seems... it seemed. It seemed all too real. But it never happened, the alien in his dream told him so. He was to forget it ever happened.

_There was... a reason, right?_

The Earth's star acted like a electric blanket to his worn, cold body. Unbeknownst to Dib, he passed out in painful comfort; his own logic lost and leaving him behind... missing the entire point again.


	11. Grey

**Chapter 11: Grey**

**Yes. All I need now is a Mad'p D4 00967 card and Mad'p j04R3. M3Y G0hu1 card. Neither need to be reprogrammed.**

"R-really?" choked Dib, "I mean, really? Really really?"

**Yes?**

"Wow...! Really? Real-"

**Dib! I said yes! Really yes!** The ship moaned, as impossible as it was, it could swear it started to feel annoyed with the excited young human. **Please get the cards before my B3tHM0t1-1 hard drive rewrites the new information in one of my memory drives.**

"Right. So, where do I get these?" Dib gulped down another glass of water. Ever since he woke up, he has been unbelievably thirsty.

**Do you have your laptop?**

"Yes!" Dib pulled it off the counter and placed it on his lap. Gaz, true to her words had brought it back. Actually, Dib woke up to a pig snorting his face. She was walking her herd to the alleyway and back which involved passing the park.

"_What are you doing out here?" snapped Gaz, pulling the brown piglet away from Dib._

"_I- I, uh..."_

"_I swear, you were destined to be a hobo..."_

"_I'm not a hobo!"_

"_You are well on your way to becoming one." she crossed her arms._

"_I don't wanna be a hobo..." he whined as he grabbed the tree for support._

"_Here's your stupid laptop," Dib flinched as Gaz shoved the mentioned stupid in his face, "Why are you out here?"_

"_Long story..." he mumbled fingering his precious._

"_Shorten it."_

"_I'M YOUR BIGGEST FAN!" screamed a all-to-recognizable metal voice._

"_Crap! See ya, Dib." Gaz growled through clenched teeth before running off with many swine jogging at her feet._

**Sector b.A room 45T.**

"Right." he closed the laptop, "See you soon."

_He was so glad he was woken up, even if it was by his sister and her legion of pigs._

**Good evening Dib, and goodbye.**

Taking his water glass by the rim, he walked out of the garage and towards the kitchen. He stopped only to double check who he thought he saw on the couch with the pigs.

"This is my faaavorite part!" Giggled Gir as he snuggled up to Gaz.

"Hmm." Nodded Gaz, other pigs grunted in agreement.

"Don't forget to hold my hand!"

"What is he doing here-" challenged Dib.

"Shhhh!" interrupted Gir, as he and Gaz continued to watch the screen as multiple humans were burned alive by a Pyromaniac Care Bear.

"_Gaz_..." he leaded over the couch.

"Gir said that the T.V. at his house is broken." she whispered back.

"Broken?"

"I don't know, but don't bring it up to Gir. You'll make him cry."

"Make him cry..." Dib rolled his eyes and headed for the sink, "I'll find out why soon enough, I have to go to Zim's house."

"You better apologize to him-" Dib sputtered the water into the sink.

_'This is your fault!'_

Dib clenched his teeth, "Why does everyone assume it's my fault for everything?"

"Stop whining Dib and get it over with."

"Yea, yea..." He mumbled placing the glass in the sink before going over to the door. "It's the last night before Dad comes home; want to order pizza?"

"Hold my HAND!" demanded Gir as he hugged a pink pig thrice his weight and size.

"Really?" Gaz' eyes locked on Dib's for the fifth time today.

"Yea, I owe you." Dib searched his pockets and held out his black wallet to Gaz.

"Thanks..."

"_Only_ pizza Gaz."

"Heh, sure..."

With those words of insurance, Dib walked out the doorway and into the foggy night. "Mad'p 4D 00967 card and a Mad'p j04R3. M3Y G0hu1 card." He mumbled to himself, "Mad'p, sounds like Map..." Dib buttoned and zipped up his trench coat as he became aware of the chilled air around him. Shadows curved and moved accordingly to the stronger car lights, grunts and a clatter of teeth were heard across the street as another couple walked themselves home, a normal Thursday Night.

"...it's not like you would have enough money to buy anything else." she sighed after counting the ones in the wallet. Placing the leather clutch on the coffee table, she went into the kitchen and took the phone off the receiver.

"I'mf mpf-scarfed." Gir garbled as he stuffed more popcorn into his hallow mysteriously salivating mouth watching Gaz stiffly dial the number, stopping, and then putting her finger on the receiver.

"...me too."

It was only a matter of moments to realize he was being stalked. Dib began walking faster and into a limping sprint. The couple across the street followed suit. Only when his eyes caught the loppy image of Zim's house did he break into a full run.

"Don't think you can run from us!" yelled Trevor.

_I don't think, I do!_ Dib winced and clenched his teeth in pain as his feet hit the ground rhythmically. _Just two blocks... just one more block... just the security..._

The gnomes made no move towards Dib as he crashed into the purple door. Flecks of light danced around his eyes as he fumbled with the doorknob. He just managed to crack the door frame as four hands yanked him away from the mockery of the safety inside. "No! Help!" he screamed, struggling against forces that even alone could overpower him still except, that they were in Zim's territory.

"What the-? Get 'im off of me!" Torque and his brother found themselves again in bizarre danger, all the gnomes hovered inches off the ground grabbing them firmly by their legs and dragging them off bounds. Feeling their grips weakening, Dib ripped himself free and threw himself on the tiled floor. "NO! DIB YOU MURDERER! YOU WILL PAY WHAT YOU OWE-" Dib heard the door lock behind him by the base's computer.

"You are to leave here as soon as the threat is neutralized."

"...sure." Dib opened his laptop and scanned over Zim's base again, "Sector b.A room 45T..."

"What about it?"

"Some things I need to get." He closed the lid and tossed it on Zim's couch.

"Now I can't let you do _that_." Griped the ceiling. Dib's body tensed; could he do this?

"You won't tell Zim about this will you?"

"What are you talking about? I have to. I'm the security."

"So you are letting me stay here while you are eliminating a threat outside that is not as bad as me?"

"I... uh..." Dib ran into the kitchen and crawled under the table. _Hopefully that will baffle it just long enough for me to get those... Mad'p card thingies._ As he removed the loose tiling revealing an elevator to the lower floors.

**...**

"Mini Moose?" Zim droned, fingering the communications counter that gave the only light in the room with the exception of Zim's eyes occasionally opening and looking up to the great blank screen on the wall.

"Meh?" the moose answered, while absentmindedly twirling in the air.

"Did you try... hacking into the-"

"Squeak! Meh! Squeaky squeak!" Mini barked back, tired of answering the same question about hacking into the Massive's systems. Zim placed his head back on the counter, he could still see the soft lights through his eyelids.

"So... thats it then?"

"Meh!"

"Zim is left here on Earth for all eternity?"

"Not for all eternity, sweetie." Robo-Mom assured Zim by rubbing his small shoulders as gently as robot hands could. He commanded the icy hands off with a shudder.

"You'll die eventually." added Robo-Dad, puffing at the false pipe. Bubbles periodically escaped it's bowl floating into walls and breaking on contact.

"Great! That's perfect!" growled Zim hitting the counter then began pacing about, "I'll just drown in these... _emotions_!" The counter countered back by turning on the big screen. Shades of gray formed a crying young woman hugging a tombstone. All two androids and moose immediately stared up at the big screen ignoring all other life.

"Such a sad movie." Robo-Mom held her gloved hands to her metal chest with a clank as she watched the woman running from the monster armed with a laser gun.

"Meh..."

"Why do the hyumans create these... movies? Forcing others to feel... things." Zim scowled, continuing his pacing despite lack of audience. "Creating places, people, creatures... ideas that never existed! It's childish!"

"It does make you think, doesn't it?" The house computer sighed. The woman was cornered by the rocky mountainside and cliff, unsure to jump or not, the monster got closer.

"It makes me think things that shouldn't be thought!" The monster tossed it's weapon over the cliff, and walked slowly over to the terrified girl who was now bawling. "The Dib... the Dub-_hyuman_ is... is nothing worth these thoughts! These _emotions_!"

"If you say so."

Getting on it's knees, the creature tried to make itself less terrifying as it tried to explain itself the best it could in her language.

"If I say so?" he roared, "IF I SAY SO?" "You should agree with me! Tell Zim that what he did was wrong!"

The girl shook her head, backing away some more till she lost her footing; the creature tried to save the girl as she lost her balance off the cliff and to her death.

"Allowing the human to live?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because... because Zim wants something... at least one thing to appear as obvious as black and white."

"Zim, you know as well as us that is just pure fiction."

"What...?" a chuckle escaped his lips, then turned into dark laughter that even dimmed the screen and even turned the androids attention to the creature fingering the Violet Humdray gun. "So all whats good in this life is just made up?"

"Yeeep."

"So, whats the point?" as he closed his eyes feeling the cold end of the gun brush up against his forehead. Should he? His purpose in life was gone, banished to a place that he was taught to despise, drowning in feelings... so cold... so disgustingly cold...

"You make a your own point." he froze, "It's your life, you do what you want with it." in complete relief and dread he turned his head.

"What do you want Dib-filth?" Zim bared his teeth, head and antennae lowered.

"What are YOU doing?"

"I ASKED FIRST!"

"He wants some mad'p cards, in Sector b.A room 45T." chimed in the house.

"Thats it?" he looked taken back a bit, but regained his frightening composer "Go on Dib, if thats what will make you leave... Then take it all!" Zim waved his arms expressing the term 'take all' more firmly. "Might as well, Zim doesn't-"

"You were banished?" interrupted Dib, Zim's arms slapped to his sides.

"What about it, worm-monkey?"

"Then what are YOU doing? It was a mistake, right? It will correct itself!"

"That's easy for you to say!" he aimed the gun at Dib, "You lived your short life thinking there is always some STUPID way out! That maybe those IDIOTS outside would eventually notice you for the smarter person you are! Well it won't! It outraged Zim everyday that my GREATEST opponent was known as 'the crazy kid'! Completely OBLIVIOUS they are! Unaware that the only reason they can still WHINE about their cruddy little LIVES is because of YOU!"

"Wow Zim..." Dib blinked, realizing he hadn't done so in awhile, so he forced his widen eyes to narrow. "That's the nicest thing anyone ever told me-"

"Don't feed into it, you monster! I hate what you did to me!"

"Wha-? But Zim!"

"No! I'm not a defective!" Zim flinched as he dug the gun's nose into his forehead. "I'm not different!" _What am I doing?_ He felt his eyes widen._ I don't want to die...!_

_Have I changed too much so soon?_

Dib watched Zim's outline shut his eyes as the tears flooded down his cheeks, "I don't want to be stuck here... I want to go..." _Stop me... Dib! _Zim lifted his head to look the ceiling which blocked his view of the cloudy sky, "...over the stars." _Say something you monster..._

"I want to... I want to go too Zim!"

_What?_

"Oh, great!"

"Wha-?" he couldn't believe... Zim was... pouting?

"Well to bad, _hyuman_!" glad to finally have an excuse, he threw the gun at Dib's feet, sneering, "Your just going to have to commit the action by yourself!" It was clearly an understatement to say Dib was flabbergasted as he tried to come up with something to say, the computer piped up again.

"Master! There are things at the door!"

"Now you warn me of intruders!" he growled as he stomped over to the elevator, "Dib just get what you need and get LOST!"

"But... but Zim!"

"We can argue over whatever you took later!" hitting a button which caused the doors to shut he barked once more to the house, "Computer! To the kitchen!"

_What is going on?_ Dib sighed picking up the accused object from the polished tiled floor, _The more we clash... the more we find out about each other... The more similar I find out we are... The more... _When his pupils finally adjusting themselves to the dark room he recognized the weapon in hand. _Damn Zim; what were you thinking?_

"RAAAUGH!" Zim screamed along with a series of crashing and clanging on his behalf. Now, where the Dib couldn't see him, so he could throw his temper freely without feeling stupid. Feeling... "WHAT WAS I THINKING? ZIM IS NO BETTER THAN THOSE _HIDEOUS_ BLONDES!"

"Sir?"

"ZIM NEEDS NO ONE! NO OOONE! " _(Clang! Bang! Crash!)_

"Siiir..."

"Computer! Tell Zim that he is a fool! A fool to think- say such- Such HIDEOUS things!"

"Your a fool? But master-"

"No! Say it like you mean it!"

"I don't...!"

"AUGH! Your a horrible machine!"

"Look, master, before we start this again; I must tell you-"

"We're enemies...!" Zim gasped, sliding to the floor now drained of all energy, "We were- anyways..." Closing his eyes, it was strange, he could almost feel... peace. If an Irken could feel peace.

_There is something I am still forgetting..._

"Siiir...!"

"Whaaat...?" he answered back in a drunken tone; silence would be... a nice change, it's hard to think in this mad house.

"We're HERE. In the kitchen."

"Oh..." Zim responded halfheartedly, and smiled. _The Dib is corrupting something of mine downstairs... Ridiculous A.I. machinery challenging my knowledge every hour... Everything is coming back to normal, I'm not really alone...!_

"S-sir? The front door-"

"Things will work out, right?" Zim pulled himself up and opened the fridge door, _I'm not alone!_ "They always do; don't they...?" Only one boot made contact with the floor as Zim's slitted eyes widened and antennae stiffened up, no breath made passage in his mouth, his gloved fingers still lose around the handle, he was frozen.

Two giant, smelly, black hairy beasts stood just as stiff as he, surrounded by ripped ruins of the house they themselves have caused with their thick, long arms.

Recovering first from the shock, they shook their heads baring their teeth and letting loose saliva and deep growls from within their less hairy chests. Flexing their nubby, muscled fingers, they closed them in and in silent gait on feet and knuckles each stood one on either side of Zim. Goosebumps ran down Zim's spine as he felt their nostrils flare on top of him. Slowly, very slowly, he lifted his head and looked up.

Terrifying powerful black apes stared back down at him with bright blue eyes. 'The Angry Monkey Show' had nothing on these guys. Zim tried his best not to choke on the air that held such a stench from these... these monsters, fearing that he might set them off. However, it may seem that they had already set themselves off.

And he wasn't going to let them get away with it.

"We'res Dib?" growled one.

"W-who wants to know?" squeaked Zim.

"He's here, isn't he?" snatched up by the other gorilla, Zim's eyes 'watered' and widened as the monster started to crush his ribcage and whispered into his fragile hearing sensors, "We know you know; now tell us! Where the fuck is he?"


	12. No Change No

**Chapter 12: No Change, No**

_He was going to kill himself? But for what reason? Why? Why?_

Dib cursed under his clattering teeth, hardly any of Zim's equipment was on, what was substituting heaters were hard working generators each set for another plan of world domination. The only things that appeared to be on were lights just bright enough for an Irken to understand where everything was. But he knew how to resolve this, after breaking into this house for so many years now. "I remembered one time, he let me stay down here for hours..." He strode over to the controls and pushed three of his fingers on a black pad and dragged his pointer finger down. "...he knew I would get lost... and beg for help..."

Lights set themselves into a brighter whitish yellow reveling the greater details of the room, wires and cords draped the place loosely, screens, buttons... everything; from the to the walls and ceilings had multiple purposes. Which caused it's whole design of the base to be asymmetrical. Complete perfect imbalance. The drastic opposite from the humans design. "Maybe that's why we have failed in our advances in technology..." He smiled to himself, "Compared to the rest of the universe, _our_ vision is impaired." Dib just sighed as he turned the first of many corners of Zim's underground base, "I wonder... are you doing okay...?"

"Z-Zim could care less where that HORRIBLE hyuman is!" Zim hissed as he tried struggling free, his PAK creaked under the pressure of muscle as it tried to go into defensive mode. "H-hey...!" He coughed as the tough gorilla fingers closed in, digging into his small chest, "W-who *cough!* who are you?"

"Who are we?" The bigger gorilla who held Zim flexed his jaw, "We are the last things you're ever going to see before you walk though the gates of _Hell_, punk." Sneering yellow teeth near inches from the alien's disgusted and paling face he hissed, "Now, where is-"

"Who are yo- ...! K...?" Words were lost, organs far too squashed to receive engineered air from his spazzing PAK. With his only good eye losing focus with the outside world panic began settling into Zim's mind as he tried squirming out of the hand, away from the blackness. One ape only watched the feeble struggle in mild interest.

"Bro, h-he can't-"

"Shut up, this is revenge for the scars on our backs." he grinned as Zim looked up at him with wide disparate eyes. "Besides, it ain't human. It don't feel like we do. It doesn't understand PAIN like WE do..."

Instinct told him to hold, but strain and exhaustion said let it go, let it all go... His mind was screaming... His body was crying... His PAK was collapsing... _NO!!! Fight it! Fight it! Please! Fight...! Help..._

_Help..._

_... ..._

_...help..._

**...**

"_Help?"_

"_Yes." Zim replied stiffly, shifting his light weight from one foot to the other._

"_Hahahahaha-!" Dib snorted into his desk._

"_Don't start that with me, filth-beast! After Zim so kindly FINISHED your science project to its flawless PERFECTION last week! ANNND had also so, SO VERY KINDLY housed your HUMUNGOUS head of brain-meats yesterday from the NASTY Gaz-sister!"_

"_Yea... you're right..." Dib sighed as he pulled out his black backpack from under his dying chair, "So, what is it?"_

"_Well actually, its this-"_

"_What happened to us?"_

"_Huh?" Zim blinked as the question finally connected with the right circuits in his brain, "Dib, interrupting is going to be your downfall! Zim swears..."_

"_No Zim, really." Dib pressed, looking down into Zim's plastic covered eyes, "What has happened to us? What have we become?_

"_What do you mean 'US' hyuman?" his voice rose, causing Dib to back away, "There is no 'US' and there is no 'WE' to speak of!"_

_**There is you...**_

"_No, Zim..." Dib rolled his eyes, "I mean, we keep threating each other, but we have to remind ourselves to add the trash talk at the end of sentences. We keep stopping each other, but when one of us screws up, the other one doesn't take the advantage and lets the other one gather their bearings till the next fight. Zim, there is no... uh... how do I put this...? There is no... no enthusiasm."_

"_What do you mean NO enthusiasm?" Zim crooked his green head at Dib._

"_Your right, for you it's the wrong word..." Dib grinned, making it Zim's turn to roll his eyes and sigh, while other kids became rather angsty with teen hormones on the rise, Dib was full of happy giddiness, and took most things said to him (mostly Zim's) as if it was given to him in a form of a joke, "I mean, I think I mean we don't really put our hearts into what we do. We aren't taking the Earth seriously anymore."_

"_Not serious?" Gloved black hands began flapping around in the air in front of Dib's face, impairing his vision in the skool's hallway further, "Well Dib it is quite an un-superior planet and being so full of NASTY things Zim would understand your loss of interest! But the Earth is Zim's job and Zim always takes his work seriously!"_

_**...and there is me.**_

"_Well... to be honest Zim you're hard to take seriously."_

"_YOU LIE!" Zim leapt on top of a passing teenager causing the surprised cheerleader to fall to the ground with a squeak, _

"_My implants!"_

"_TAKE THIS!" he grinned villainously as he pointed an electric-green laser at Dib's huge forehead._

_-_

"Release my Master and leave this place." The house computer warned.

"Or what?" Trevor snapped, "I doubt you've repaired yourself well enough to give a decent fight back!"

"Surprisingly..." The computer's tone lightened as a large cannon laser dropped to the gorilla's eye level from the massacred ceiling. "I have." The ape's shadows stiffened against the new lights escaping the awkwardly placed vents on the silver blue cannon causing no shadow to be too dark, no shadows to hide in.

**...**

_Twenty seconds later after the ruckus died down Dib only shrugged his shoulders at his opponent. "Come on Zim, really."_

_-_

"You think you can actually hit us?"

"B-bro, drop Zim. Drop him now."

"Shut up. When I give the word, you are going to go through that fridge."

**...**

"_Well, this was just a cheap shot anyways!" Zim grumbled as he put the gun back on it's hidden holster, "Zim needs challenges! What would be the point if I cheated?"_

**...**

"Wha-? Why?"

"Can't you smell him? Dib's in there!" Trevor's hairs bristled to appear even greater than his little brother, "Now get your ass-"

**Rek-re-re-re-**

"What the fuck...?"

"I-I think it's Z-Zim..." Torque pointed out with a shaky finger. Even though the little body made no movement, the PAK was making a bigger fuss more than ever. Sparking blue plasma in forms of lightning started fishing it's way in the air and as if it truly had weight, it zigzagged to the floor melting, sparking, exploding things upon inches of contact. Torque began to back away, as motionlessly as possible. Trevor only blinked stupidly,

**...**

"_Oh come on, Zim! You lie and cheat just like everyone else!"_

**...**

**Kkk... k... k, k, k...**

"What th-"

**K, k, k, k, k, k... k... k... *FIZZZZZZZZSH!!!**

Trevor let out a howl throwing Zim in the air with what was left of his hand causing thick dark blood to splatter the walls, Zim and the cannon. Taking full advantage of the unexpected, the computer aimed and fired balls of fiery heliotrope light at the frightened gorillas. "Go, dammit!" Trevor leapt behind Torque and gave him a kick towards the kitchen, "I'LL take care of upstairs, YOU get downstairs! When you find Dib you bring him to ME!"

**...**

"_Um, yes. Yes I do. BECAUSE I AM NORMAL!" Zim yelled at the gathering crowd before jumping off the girl and running down the hallway causing chaos and a massive number of paper airplanes to be airborne._

**...**

**Reactivation.**

Air rushing past his body, the alien organ that played the role of lungs began to fill as one final spark encircled his body...

_**We create excuses to not carry out the final task. Not to go forward.  
Is it because we are afraid?  
It has become custom of me to know you will be there to stop me everyday.  
Why?  
What's to be afraid of? Change?  
Something different... It's not us who will be paying the final price, it will be him...**_

_**Us.  
If we stop chasing what else is there?  
Nothing, unless WE change.  
So is change so bad?  
Well, not if you put it that way.  
If we both agree on it, then is it alright?  
We never talk to each other, that would start a change. How will we know?  
I know. You know. We'll know.  
How?  
We just need to keep going. Don't look back, it only adds fear to the future, to the unknown.  
In that case, I'll race you to the future!  
What? Now we are on the same footing?  
Yes! Why not?**_

_**Yes, why not....**_

_**Dib? Whats the matter? Dib! Speak words to Zim! Dib!**  
Dib!_

Legs activating, they moved Zim's position to the ceiling. Eye squinting against the flashing lights he searched the thick Grey cords till Zim caught a glimpse of his prized R.L. '_These gorillaz are going to beg for mercy when ZIM is halfway done with THEM!'_ he grinned pulling out the larger-than-he thin rifle-like gun.

"Right!" yelped Torque dodging numerous fires behind the table which for some reason, reflected every shot back at the ceiling causing Zim to dodge the uncountable number of dangerous wires by taking refuge behind the shredded couch.

"CURSE YOU computer, for USING the POWER of PINE-SOL!" cried Zim as he turned on the R.L's light generator. The computer's response was short in sigh.

"Torque, just give me the damn table and go downstairs!" Trevor growled as he tightened Zim's purple curtains around his near-non-existing right hand.

"Right!" Torque cried again tossing it over and turning to face Zim. The gun's weight placed on his right shoulder and the barrel glowing hot pink was aimed right between Torque's frightened blue eyes.

"You _WILL_ PAY for _EVERYTHING_ you have DONE to _ZIM!_"

An unexpected aroma caught Dib's nostrils while passing sector a.Z, something like... baking... Baking cookies? Entering the first room in T hall he found the cooling cookies sitting on a navy blue plater that lied on a lengthy counter. "Funny..." Dib walked over, "they smell and look edible." Carefully taking a nibble, he then grabbed every cookie left and shoved them into his pockets. He left the room with the stupidest smile on his face, like he really accomplished something, "Okay, I really need to be on track now..." catching the words Sector b.A. on the arch above him, he sighed, "Alright, now room 45T..."


	13. Everything Done and Paid For

**Chapter 13: Everything Done and Paid for**

It was a centimeter thick. Long, thin, and a transparent sea green color with small and thick cords and metal-like branches sticking out in every odd angle possible. Dib was sure that no one from Earth could identify the material, but he could roughly make out on the side: **'mad'' **in... English?

"Please, all we want is Dib!"

"And the Dib is MINE! And you two have FAILED to realize it for the last time!" Zim hissed as he pulled the trigger causing Torque to give one last frightened grunt as he fell over crushing the last standing chair to bits and Zim falling back into the elevator from the impact.

Dib felt his eyebrows rise. "Alright..." Taking it by it's edges, he wrapped it up in a small thin sheet he found nearby and placed it in the only pocket in his jacket that wasn't already occupied by cookies and their crumbs. He then felt his feet unconsciously shift as the room then began to shake.

"TOORRRQUE!" Trevor roared, whipping the chair into the cannon laser tearing it from it's place and sending in plunging into the ground. His body ripped through the air, keeping his itching eyes focused on the petite alien, the thought of it's blood staining his clenched teeth, "ROOWAAAAR-"

"Wha-?" Dib grabbed some low hanging cords from the ceiling to help steady himself as things around him moaned and creaked. He looked up trying to understand the muffled sounds and shakes from above. _Something... is happening..._ Releasing the cords, Dib broke into a run for the nearest elevator.

**...**

"Don't be too late now, okay?" Gir warned Gaz just outside the door.

"Sure." Gaz said with a hazy smile, "See you later, Gir." Gir waved with one hand while the other held a pop soda can plus hot-pink squiggly straw which was shaped into a form of an offensive message.

"Tis... too bad... we got... no peezza." Gir said between strong sucking intermissions as he began walking down the sidewalk.

"...yes..."

**...**

_Finally getting out of the house, Torque rushed up the steep hill, the shortest shortcut to his house to the Hi-Skool. The whole trip with his mom and her antics of celebrating every new skool year last minute was causing him to be late AGAIN for another first day at skool. Slipping on the dry loose dirt his eye caught a large black van with a weird blue eye symbol on the side driving past him. Gasping as he grabbed the last piece of the brown turf to bring his feet on level ground, he saw the van awkwardly park itself in the front lot and the door opening. The gangly teen who stepped out of it was instantly recognizable with his large head and geeky glasses and so was the creepy green kid that had-never-grown-an-inch-in-his-life that ran up beside him from the skool to begin their daily rants/fight._

"_Dib! What are you doing ridding in-in THAT THING?" Zim points accusingly to the black car Dib stepped out of. _

_Dib only swelled with pride, telling Zim, "Nah Zim, I didn't __ride__. I __drove__." Zim's eyes squinted looking __up at Dib as his shadow no longer protected his eyes from the bright cloudless day._

"_So?" Dib stopped right in front of the double doors, causing Zim to stop and several other teens to wait at the doors. As Torque ran up the stairs he instantly slowed down feeling the dread as the fated bells rang._

_**'AGAIN... Why can't I get to skool on time just ONCE?'**_

"_I hate you Zim." Torque felt his fists clenching as the thoughts of his hate reflected on the two most freaky teens at school._

"_Good!" Zim smirked. Dib frowned._

"_I outta-"_

"_Do you IDIOTS know that WE are LATE for CLASS?" A blonde girl snapped, jerking them from their selfish unconscious and into the real world. Dib instantly blushed, embarrassed to have pulled such Freshman behavior._

"_Gosh! I'm so sorry-"_

"_You know what? No body cares!" Torque snapped as he plowed through the small crowed and shoved the doors open knocking over several other dwellers inside._

_Screaming... screaming.__.._

**...**

Torque woke to wood pieces falling then tumbling off of his face and onto the floor, but it didn't make sounds like wood, it sounded as if thousands of musical needles have bounced off the surface of a hollow tin floor. He tried to blink but his left arm twitched instead. He then realized that his eyes have been open the entire time, but yet he couldn't feel the dust that had started to cake on them. Everything felt oily, from his face to his fingers.

**...**

"_Blow out the cupcake and make a little wish!"_

**...**

_Mom...?_

Attempting to get up, he ended up flopping to the floor like a fish left on solid earth and gasping like one as well.

_Where am I?_

It refused to comply.

"What? Oh, come on!" Grumbled Dib as he mashed his fingers against the florescent buttons again. "You had no complaints on me coming _down_..."

Kicking wasn't doing any good, but instinct plus invader training had Zim profusely doing it in Trevor's face. The ape snapped, and tried to force more of his immense body into the small compartment. Zim crammed himself into the right-hand corner behind Irken Moving INC boxes while hastily jamming more ammo into the handle. Bloodied hand outstretched and left eye open, his remaining two fingers and thumb plucked the alien behind his only cover. Swinging from his loosening boot, Zim clung to his prized weapon and aimed.

Now Dib heard that.

Looking up, he decided that he would leave this place like he normally came into it, except less sneaky. Carefully pushing the card down as deep as it would go into the pocket Dib then scrambled up the slick fine metal slabs that made the walls. Occasionally slipping and getting caught in the cords.

What remained of the front of the house from the brother's entry was now maroon speckled rumble amongst the rest. Zim gasped, leaning against what was left of his sofa. His R.L. had melted some time ago from overheating. Trevor was laughing. If it was trying to intimidate from the new fresh hole in his chest or the lack of pain from his dead hand, or the seeming look of his victory as Zim fell over in his blood, or the lost of both of their minds he couldn't deduct.

Unable to keep his fingers in the crevasses Dib decided that he hated mountain climbing and slipped. He tried desperately to grab a hold of something but all safety seemed out of reach, _again_. Curling himself up he tried to think of every move he could do that would cause the least amount of damage upon landing. Unable to deduct the possibility of the real damage that was more likely to happen when hitting the cold metal floor.

And neither had Torque.

_Eyes fogged from the world, life never seemed so new. Can you keep it if you find it again? Or will you forget it like last time?_

This was not his day.

**...**

"**Hello, this is the FBI. My name is Greg. How can I help you?"**

_**...**_

_He remembered the feeling of his heart beating fast when he was excited, painful but wonderful. He remembered the feeling of wind blowing ice into his face. Squinting, he could see the large silhouette in the dim moonlight running with only the use of it's long hairy arms along by his car. He remembered grabbing the camera behind the auto-pilot chair._

**...**

"H-hi, I'm Gaz and I think my brother is getting attacked b-by unusually violent disturbances."

"**What kind of unusual disturbances, ma'am?"**

**...**

_Putting his knee on the steering wheel, his fingers attacked the on and record button and aimed out the right window. He remembered seeing a smaller creature just ahead of the silhouette with long spider-like legs..._

_He remembered the spider jumping over the roadway, and the silhouette swinging in front of his car, the lights reveling a terrifying beast with glowing blue eyes._

**...**

"Big- no, HUUUGE hairy ones."

"**How many eyes do they have?"**

**...**

_He remembered swerving..._

**...**

"I don't know! I've only seen them from the back!"

"**Alright, just calm down ma'am-"**

**...**

_He could see flashing lights behind his eyelids when he woke again, but opening them felt beyond impossible. He felt cramped, but strangely relaxed. When he realized what the tasty salty liquid leaking from his mouth was, he heard words from foggy voices._

"_There is... no way... he'll die before we..."_

"_...paler than a ghost..."_

"_Another stupid teenager bites the dust..."_

_He remembered this too. The uncomfortable feeling of cement being too warm and soft, the fact that it was still amazing that he was still breathing, that emotional pang in the head when his brain realized that the only part of the body still receiving all messages was the forefinger on his right hand._

"_You will just chase after anything(!), will you? Anything to be recognized by your stupid species!" _

**...**

They told her to stay were she was, she was safe. She however did not feel safe at all. All she felt was dread. That feeling were you accidentally save over your best game, of never getting that precious something back no matter how hard you tried. Except you can never truly start over in the real world. This Monday will not be the same as the next Monday, or any other for that matter. It kept changing, like the fact this was Thursday.

**...**

_He remembered not remembering anything for a while because he was unconscious for this part. The part where the sworn enemy does the forbidden..._

Dib woke up on top of broken mechanical arms. Blinking though unnecessary, did so anyway as if he were in a white room. His head was sore and his spine felt bruised upon sitting up but otherwise he wasn't anymore broken than before.

"H-hyu**-man** man man man man... HELP. Th-_this is_ **3RG4N7**." Dib whipped his head around to the broken speaker above which his neck didn't think was the brightest idea.

"What?"

"They set us up 7he **BOMB**." Dib stared.

"**M**4stER is in-in-in-in-in NEED of ass-s-s-sis_tance_." Goosebumps ran around the invisible scars of perfect alien-done stitching which now he could feel as keenly as if he just walked out from the car crash...

**...**

"_What have you done to me?" Dib stared his reflected self on the polished purple metal._

"_What do you think Zim did?" the short annoyed one snapped, "How dare you accuse me otherwise!"_

"_Why... would you save me?" he gasped._

"_Why did I...?" Zim looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "__Because I believe you would've done the __same for me..."_

"_Impossible...! I would never..." _

**...**

"Where is he?" Dib felt old confidence pumping through his body again.

"UP_stairs. El3va0r g0 doWn 7#3 **H4LL** ON _your_ LE-E-FT-t-t-t..." He then confidence flinched as a small blue gun fell from the ceiling to his feet.

**...**

_Zim looked shocked, then a look of realization came to his face as something seemed to come clear to him. "Fool..." He hissed and outstretched his hand to Dib's face and everything went black, he forgot everything. That his dad had ever bought his son a car and had wrecked it going 60mph into a Weregorilla that was chasing an Irken for reasons unknown before Hi-skool was even two months in. Which made more sense that walking home and finding the giant roadkill._

His enemy that made the first move.

_He heard a surprised shout as he took his twenty third picture of the animal. Turning, he saw Torque._

"_Look! Look! See? They exist! I told you people! I'm not crazy-"_

_Torque shock his head, and backed away._

Unconsciously, he repaid. Well, almost.

**...**

"Dad will be home tomorrow." Dib sighed as he cocked the gun and ran to the emergency elevator ignoring the exhausted cries of his muscles. _'There was still more to this.'_ It was what, 11:45? He could pull this off, as he concentrated on the two Amaranth Cerise doors in front of him. _'When I'm through, Zim will be the one in debt with me!' _He grinned.

It was all coming back to him now.

* * *

That's the sound of friendship forming right there. I'm going to make you owe me.


	14. At the End of the Tunnel

**Chapter 14: At the End of the Tunnel**

His left eye's luster was beginning to downgrade to that of his dead right. Iridescent Fuchsia Pink blood ran freely in Trevor's rough right hand mixing into his much darker and thicker Burgundy. As frightened as Zim was, he had no energy to show it as his once lively green face flushed from battling, was now paling Grey. He tried to focus on the disgusting blood drooling monster before him. It was smiling, and he returned it. He wasn't giving this idiotic bimbo any satisfaction. If anything, he will take it out with him. All Irkens now are set with a self-destruct button, just in case.

The elevator doors opened to a part of the house that no one ever saw on the show. If you entered the kitchen, the room would have been behind the right wall. But no one cares about those details. Dib turned down the short hallway to ground zero.

"S-stop right there!" He cried out, aiming the gun between Trevor's eyes. Then came Zim's voice, it was unusually quite so he almost didn't catch it.

"Don werry... I.. gut... this..."

The yellow grin stayed on the gorilla's face, eyes now gone askew. _'I can do this, I can do this!' _Dib told himself trying to correct his shaking. A deep hoarse voice sounded through the gritty teeth but nothing audible came.

Dib fired.

Trevor shrieked as an Aqua light shot by his head and nicked his ear and in one intense swing, chucked Zim at Dib causing him to drop the weapon and take the force of impact. Familiar stars flew around his eyes as he tried to take a breath in, but his lungs took no action. He collapsed to his knees.

_It's happening again..._

He looked down at Zim, both eyes were closed, fingernail cut wounds across the chest, fresh internal organs exposed on either side of him. He gasped. Breathing again the reality he might have to face started to dawn on him

"Zim?" he whispered.

**...**

_All he could see was Dib. Dib laughing at him, Dib taking pictures of his dead mom and sending it to that cult he works for. Those people in those blue screens, all laughing at him. All for god-damned science._

**...**

"What... now... Di-s-stink...?" Said Zim as best as he could, surprised to be rewarded with a hug. "Y-you s-smell like... cookies?" Dib coughed back a laugh as he released Zim and saw blood leaking from Zim's mouth.

Trevor watched in amazement as the fire hydrant became Dib, and the Stop sign, and the lamp posts, Dib. Wavy blue lines floating in sky flying all around his face. All laughing at him, taking pictures and mocking him. _'Fucking science...'_

"I... I found them in one of the labs. I think there Gir's best so far."

"What...? Gir doesn't... do... cookies..." Zim clenched his teeth together.

"He doesn't?"

Through his laughter, there was his voice. As Trevor crushed the mailbox he searched with his left ear. Dib was using some sort of hellish magic causing him to not see the right one. He also heard something peculiar in his right ear and it wasn't just the laughter, it started quite then it got louder. It sounded like musical needles falling from the sky on to a hollow metal floor...

"No... Y-you... liked... th-them?" He gave a teasing smile before he shut his eyes and started to cough ugly. Hearing the sound of a Helicopter above, Dib made a quick look up to see twenty people fully dressed in heavy black leather armor with FBI written in bold white on their chests before going back to his _friend_.

"Zim!"

"N-normally... Z-Zim's PAK w-w-would c-command n-nan-no machines t-t-to... to..." Gasping of air chalked up through gargling blood, Dib carefully turned Zim's face to drain the thin transparent pink.

"Ape-man! Turn around with your... um. With your limbs up!"

Trevor squinted in the bright light from the two helicopters hovering low in the sky. The needles almost seemed to go into a tune now. It was like a long pattern, a sequence. He turned his back to the light and grinned as all the Dibs left but one sitting just outside of the kitchen. _'I knew the bastard couldn't hold it forever...'_

"S-so you f-finally got the C-CIA...?" Zim sputtered.

"Stop talking Zim!" Cried Dib holding the cold body close to him as he heard the first of the many gun shots.

"I'll... never... let you catch... m-"

Silences.

Trevor stopped and turned toward the light again. It couldn't get any louder and yet, it couldn't get anymore relaxing than he felt right then and there. He finally recognized the tune. He turned his back again and for the last time to the light a ran toward Dib.

"Zim? ZIM!"

"FIRE!"

The rain of gun shots was unbearable, and he too along with Zim would've been swiss cheese if he didn't dive into the hallway. Placing Zim on the nearest counter, he tried to look for any signs of living, anything, anything...

"Dammit, don't go over the stars! Zim! Don't do it! Don't do it!" Dib shut his eyes, unable to stop the tears now pouring down his face as he buried his face in Zim's chest.

_He remembered coming here on a mission. A mission gone and lost... he wanted to hold onto it, or at least something just as familiar something that was still the same. Something that hadn't changed, come on, something..._

"AHHHH! No Zim!"

_But doing so it would just make him the same as them... dead, gone. Behind him he could hear his name being called at the darker end of the tunnel. In front of him, a dim light._

_'Plink!'_

_Zim shivered. The first of many needles began to rain down on the metal hallway. Zim narrowed his eyes and looked up and saw nothing._

_But...__why is he questioning it?_

_'These musical needles were really getting on Zim's nerves,' He thought. He never could understand the love of music because most of his life had none of it. Now here it was pouring all around him in metallic colors._

"Sir, we need a request from you-"

"You can take the apes! I won't say anything! I don't care!" Dib pulled himself into the corner further, holding rag-doll Zim. "Just- Please, leave us alone!"

"Sir! Loosen your grip! Your badly injured friend can't breath!" Dib in exhausted shock released Zim altogether and both slid to the floor. The man squatted down near Zim pulling wires out of his breast pocket. He then turned Zim over. "Major, I have an extraterrestrial life here it appears to be in sleep mode." He spoke into the small mich to his left.

"Sleep... mode?" Dib gasped pushing his glasses up. And watched the man open up Zim's PAK... "Wait! What are you doing?" The spider legs shot out, and aimed accordingly to every vital point on the man's body, he sat still.

"Sir, could you be Dib?"

"Yea. Wait- how do you know?"

"You've become sort of a inside joke on the field." Dib's heart sank.

"Yea...?" He repeated in a dead tone.

"Could you remove these things before it kills me?" The man gave a nervous smile.

"Oh! Yea, sure!" Dib tugged at one by the man's neck and was shocked to see it slack and fold into the PAK. The others followed in a random order.

"I trust you have the equipment to care for your specimen?"

"Yea! Wait- What?" _'Am I hearing this correctly?'_

"You are assigned to this alien from the Swollen Eyeball, right?"

"Um, no. I sorta assigned myself to him." The PAK closed itself and Dib pulled Zim closer to him.

"Then he is not for observing?" Dib stopped. How does he answer this? If he says he is not for observing than Zim was in danger by being taken in by the government. If he said he was, the man might check him out later by the S.E. Headquarters and then he would lose more than just Zim...

"He isn't registered yet."

"No? Well let me solve that right now..." the man pulled out a cellphone and dialed a number. Dib turned Zim over trying to see if there was any improvement. _'I guess he looks a little less dead...'_

"What is he?"

"Huh?" Dib slowly looked back up at the man.

"What species-"

"Oh, um... Irken." Dib looked back down at Zim. Feeling a bit foolish, he took off his jacket and wrapped it around him.

"What is his purpose here?"

"Huh?" Dib looked up again, he man held back the desire to roll his eyes.

"Why is he here? What was he sent here to do by his leaders?"

"Uh..." Dib bit his tongue, _'Trying to take over the world' is definitely the wrong thing to say...' _"To study and learn... about Earth?" he mentally crossed his fingers.

"Oh my, I hope this experience doesn't dampen his spirit about this place." Dib wanted to punch the man in the face, at least ten times.

The man pushed a few more buttons in his cellphone before folding it and placing it back in his pocket. "Well, it not a real official register but it's a pager." He stood up, "When we get the you will be this Irken's host. You will see to his needs, ya?"

"O... k." Dib rose an eyebrow.

"We will want full reports about his home planet and his language and etc, I trust you know the whole gambit."

"Alright." Dib mumbled feeling very lost, all of his old ignored reports were full of why the human race was endanger and that Zim needed to be destroyed or captured and studied. Now he'll have to find all of those reports and burn/delete them. Then he needed to come up with what was going to be his first complete lies about anything Paranormal. Because just saying that one alien from the Irken race is different from the rest of it's race never goes well with the government...

He was starting to understand were all of those whack job investigators that he has ever argued with were coming from.

"Do you have another place to go to?"

"Huh?" Dib said meekly closing his eyes, even with the adrenalin still just hanging on, he was very very tired.

"Do we need to find you an apartment while we get this cleaned-"

"No! No. We're fine, thank you." Dib and the man turned their heads sharply upon hearing cries in he front yard.

"What's going on?" The man left Dib and walked out to the living room, Dib decided to follow after.

"It's a crazy robot, sir. Can I shoot it?"

"Oh baby! Oh baby! Oh babaaaaay!" screamed Gir as he continued running between the legs of the confused FBI members. He stopped when he saw Dib, "Marieeeee!" he leapt unto Dib's head and began to try to make a bird nest out of his hair.

"Uh, he's um... Ow Gir! He's uh... Zim's partner." Dib managed to finish.

"Whatever, type me up the papers when things clear up." The man straightened himself to look taller and possibly more professional. But all that meant to Dib was that he didn't want to talk anymore. So Dib nodded in response to the last statement and walked off the lawn and to the sidewalk. Passing by the first of the many light posts home he stopped and looked at the large bloody masses in the street. Samples were being taken from the freshest part of the bodies, and blood was being mopped up. There was still an occasional twitch from the younger brother anytime someone walked too close...

One thing for sure, Torque and Trevor were going to bother them nevermore.

Closing his eyes, he took in a deep breath of pained relief and started walking again. They were now safe, and yet... they didn't deserve it. He killed their mother, he even sent her body away to the S.E. and he was getting away with it. He wanted to say it wasn't fair but yet... Dib shook his head. If the FBI were any latter everyone would've been dead. _'It was all unavoidable.'_ With that thought crossing his mind he became a bit calmer. The bundle he held started to shift, and then he heard it's familiar voice.

"Zim... feels... p-painful..." he moaned. Dib stopped abruptly unsure about the growing smile on his face.

"Hey."

"Ugh..." Zim squinted his left eye up at Dib. "Did Zim lose...?"

"Nah." Dib shook his head, Gir fell to the cement with a clack.

"PASTA!" Zim closed his eye again and groaned in gritty frustration.

"Do n-not want..." When Zim turned his head into the human's warm, bruised chest, Dib shivered.

"Z-Zim?"

"What?" came the annoyed tone. Dib caught himself before he busted out with a laugh. Zim somehow always finds a way to be himself no matter the situation. Zim still caught the humor on Dib's breath and turned his head 90 degrees to see with his left eye what could possibly be so humorous about this situation. He hissed as he decided to curl up, he didn't have the energy for this and Dib wasn't going to make him say or think otherwise. He wasn't in the mood to fight with his enemy.

_'Enemy?'_

As Gir screamed something about buying one and get the second free, he wrapped Dib's jacket around him unconsciously only leaving the antennae with the still hanging earring sticking out. The smell was alright, compared to the rest of the Earth's smells. It had that texture of soft that could only be made from years of wear and tear, sandpaper to the well-oiled wood, smooth.

_'Thats hardly the right word anymore.'_

Wait, what did he just wrap himself in?

"Zim, do you mind staying at my house tonight?"

"What's the m-matter with Zim's house?" He growled. _'House? Base! Zim's base! Base for what?'_

"Well, it's really messy..." Dib mumbled, unsure how to say it._ 'I shouldn't tell him about the FBI, even if they are only cleaning, he'll freak.'_ He bit his lower lip, he could see the dim red eye in his coat narrow in suspicion as it began to glow more brightly as new rapidly growing blood cells began to circulate Zim's system.

"I want some Dark Magician Girl!" Gir called out, way ahead of them to the point were you couldn't see the little bugger.

"Um, your computer said it would have to do a thorough cleaning. Really thorough, with lasers."

"Makes sense..." Zim's voice relaxed and Dib closed his eyes in relief, but in doing so he felt the world tip, he forced his eyes open again realizing that he was starting to pass out.

"Shit..."

"What? I don't smell anything."

"No..." Dib picked up his pace, Zim felt the rising panic in Dib's breathing.

"Dib? What's the matter?" Zim felt himself shifted to one arm as he saw the other rise and press against Dib's sweaty forehead.

"Just... shut up, shut up..." Dib heard himself saying before he could stop it.

"What?" rose an angry tone.

_'Great, now I pissed him off...'_ His eyes were dry and itchy, he tried really hard not to blink. Every time he did everything seemed to slow down in Matrix style, and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to open them again. His mind was wondering everywhere, quite like what happens just before you unknowingly go to sleep. It took him a while to realize that Zim, who now was sitting up with his arms in the appropriate sleeves of Dib's leather jacket was talking (but more like shouting) to him.

"Dib? Dib you piggly-fool, listen to Zim! What is happening?" Maybe it was the new constant tugging at his shirt's collar that caught his last attention...

"Piggly...?" Where his eyes really open?

"Stop changing the subject!" Dib was already in bed as far as his mind was concerned, so soft... everything was so soft... His legs buckled. "H-hey!" Zim wrapped his arms around Dib's neck hissing the few Earthly profanities he knew while in the contact of Dib's sweat, waiting to feel the burn and Dib finally toppled over a sidewalk bench with Zim on top. Zim felt like screaming, but he kept his teeth clenched mouth shut. But it was all from anger, not the supposed burning from the liquid. Zim pushed himself up and found himself shaking immensely. He couldn't remember a time when his body was this psychically or mentally exhausted, ever.

He pulled Dib on to the rest of the bench and turned him over on to his back and looked down at his face. _'How can this fool look so peaceful right now?'_ Zim sighed and removed the glasses from the said fool's face and placed them in on of the many pockets of the coat. He heard a car drive by a few roads back. Leaning against Dib, he tried to make the worn leather cover them as much as possible. Not working, he carefully placed himself on the bruised flesh. He heard a cat calling out for dinner two doors down. Dib's stupid smile still pictured in his head, Zim groaned loathing this situation. So much, so much. He was starting to understand why humans slept, it was definitely a nice retreat from this bunch of batty relations.

He heard his tin henchman somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered if Gir slept himself, or if it was just his only working SIR chip disabling power circuits to the A.I. brain so the MEMO chips had a chance to cool down.

What he didn't hear is what he felt.

Opening that only eye, he looked up to the Indigo silhouette before him, wearing clothes Zim recognized from the humans history book of England. It held out a hand.

"I figured you two would work it out."

"Bah!" scoffed Zim.

Hardly.

* * *

What do you know, an UN-explanatory game reference(s). How original of an Invader Zim fanfic.


	15. No Other Friday

**Chapter 15: No Other Friday**

At first it was a break from everything, sweet nothing. But as the eternal clock neared it's waking time a brief review of all events played rapidly through Dib's head. Waking up to the sound of his father's trademarked voice downstairs his eyes eventually stayed open in a blank stare at his poster covered ceiling. He heard his sister answer back in a whine. Laughter followed...

Why did he feel so empty?

Turning to get up, he was surprised to feel only mildly sore. A quick conclusion coming from his turning stomach told him that he had to been out longer than a night. His feet fell on vacuumed carpet, _'Someone cleaned my room...'_

Or at least, attempted to. Large amounts of mangled equipment and necessities were shoved and piled onto themselves by the walls. Some of it stacking as high as his light switch. Noticing no breeze, he searched for his glasses by the table stand and put them into place. He then turned to see his window covered in heavy plastic wrap and duct tape.

"Huh." became Dib's first word of the day, not that it really is a word but you can find it on Dictionary dot com. _'I should get up and get something to eat.'_

Pushing himself away from the warm comfort of his bed, he pulled his two closet doors as open as possible without remaking the same mess into his storage room. He heard the door close downstairs and the confab stopped. Pulling off his pajama shirt and placing aside on one of the many shelves he paused. Someone had undressed and redressed him in clean clothes. Nervous teen thoughts crept into his mind as he was unsure of pulling his pants off to discover if someone so graciously gave him clean boxers as well.

_'Why the hell should I care?!?'_ his head voice nearly screamed as he threw his pants onto the same shelf as his shirt. Not daring to look down, he grabbed a new shirt and plain jeans and whipped them on. And just before leaving his room, he put on his Jurassic Park slippers and then gave the door a good slam.

"Welcome back to the world of the conscious." droned Gaz as her eyes stayed on the dress she was ironing. The movie, 'Arsenic and Old Lace' played on the television in front of her. The same herd of pigs laid at her feet snorting peacefully away. He swore and didn't doubt that Gir was amongst the pile, but he wasn't in the mood to focus on anything but himself. Gaz heard Dib muttering and assumed that was going to be the closest thing to a 'good morning' or 'thanks'. She then heard a clink and clatter of a bowl, milk, cereal and spoon hit the table. But her attention soon went back to the babble of the movie. Each sentence following to the moving pictures in her head caused by watching the film more than twenty times.

It took a while for Dib's morning brain to realize that he needed to lift the spoon into his mouth if he wanted to be fed. Once that obstacle was overcome, the kitchen became more in focus and his brain swayed away from angst mode and begun to reflect on the night...

"Gaz, what's today?"

"Sunday the thirtieth, why?"

"Nothing..." School was tomorrow... his heart sank. "Just wondering..."

For a while all what the siblings heard was the clink of bowl and spoon with the white noise of the set.

"You know..." Gaz dragged the first words while her head ran through possible outlets of how to explain the situation. "It's ironic the day Zim decided to see how his base was doing was the time you decided to wake up."

"Mmm..." Dib hummed through whatever the hell he was eating. I don't eat cereal.

"He practically clung to you the entire time, it was like he was not himself again. Pathetic really."

"Hmmm..."

"Maybe you should give him a surprise visit."

"Maybe..." Dib swallowed, "Maybe you should stay out of my business."

Gaz held the urge to throw the hot iron. After all, she needed to finish ironing this for tonight. "Maybe..." she hissed. Squee shuddered and the others followed suit except for the tin one.

He placed each of the used containers in their respected places in the kitchen before heading toward the door. Stopping at the front door he looked for shoes that were his size, upon seeing none in that description...

"Gaz, where's my shoes?"

"In the dryer." Dib paused.

"Okay, where are my boots?"

"Under the couch." Dib bent down onto his knees and heard one of them pop as he reached past the dust bunnies for the black leather. "Where are you going?"

"Just out." Dib stammered, "The weekends almost up and I haven't been able to do anything I wanted."

"Right." Gaz said in a tone just louder than the television. Dib couldn't see but she was smiling. "Have fun."

"Yea," Dib gasped as he buckled the last strap. Grabbed the doorknob, turned and stopped. "Thanks Gaz," he mumbled and left. Gaz bit her lower lip trying to keep herself from snickering.

"Oh Dib," She grinned and the lights in the house dimmed, "I'm the last person to thank."

**...**

Not that he ever cared for his front lawn to begin with, but seeing nothing but dead weeds and mud was strange and eerie. His ugly wooden fence was scattered in and on top of the sopping soil, rotting away. He was pleased to see that none of his gnomes were short circuiting, as if that would raise the neighbors suspicion any more (or any less). The walls were made of a special hologram/toxins mixture to begin with; so he wasn't expecting much of a mess inside when he entered his home. _'Base! Base! Not home, base!'_

If anything, the house looked on the outside like one of those California cookie cutter houses except the whole 'it was going to topple over itself if the wind blew hard enough.' Looking around, the feeling of empty crept into his mind but he linked that to how vacant the house became. Sure, he hardly used any of the first floor camouflage equipment but it was always there. Was.

He pulled off the itchy gray hoodie Gaz had lent him and placed it by the door. Showing him wearing a shirt that was also too big for him.

"Computer, status report." There was a slight pause, then a soft popping sound as the speakers came on.

" Repairs are 62.001%. FunctionING orders 4re 54.07%. Power LINES **are** 80.10202% and are q-quaky."

"You can ignore the functioning orders computer." Zim strode over to the hole in the wall were there once stood a fridge and walked into the elevator, "Except for necessities concerning your motor skills and keeping rooms accessible."

"Underst00d, m4$ter." Zim frowned as he felt the elevator shiver before descending down into the labs.

_'What am I going to do?'_ He couldn't help thinking. His mission was terminated, not really... maybe? He could still try. But his leaders thought he was dead...

"COMPUTER!!!"

"Theresss no need to shout-t, mast3R"

"I also want the communications decks to be fully functional."

"IMPossible sir."

"Wha-? Why not?" Zim stamped his foot and the elevator stopped for a second moved a bit further down...

"Some THINGS are irr-rreplaceable." and then stopped completely. But Zim didn't notice at first, the last words the computer said were still running through his head. _'That- that is quite true.' _His right foot tapped the Cerise floor.

"Is it because of what Zim did...?"

"Mostly." The computer didn't bother to soften the blow and Zim's antennae drooped in reaction. But after awhile in the silence the computer didn't seem to like the afterthought. "YOU would'VE rath3red died then?"

"What sort of trash did I make you out of?" Zim snapped up at the ceiling, kicking the floor once more causing the elevator to shudder, "Of course I would rather live!"

"IF you do not regret than-than why do you hold your**self** back?"

"Do I pay you to question ME?" Zim growled, fists clenched. _'Me? Zim hold myself back? If anything Zim pushes himself towards his goal!'_

"M-m4ster-"

"No! Zim doesn't want to hear it!" Zim slammed his foot into the wall and felt his toes sting. _'What goal do I have now?'_ He stood still, he knew it. Well, he knew it as a small sticky note stuck on a wall covered in hundreds of similar paper looking all the same with no different color shades to differ them apart. But now it was upgraded to gold trimmed leaf paper well framed with it's own wall.

_'I have nothing to strive for.' _His eyes widened, and that sinking feeling came again._ 'But... how can this be?' _He gulped, and looked down at his gloveless hands, fingers twitchy from no hard technical work. _'Zim __always had something.' _That lonely feeling again.

"Urgent! Grab som3thing sturdy q-quick!"

"What...?" Zim snapped his head side to side, all he saw was smashed cardboard. And that's when the alarm went off.

Whatever was left of Zim's good mood died. His hands covered his sore antennae as he screamed one the last thing before the elevator shot upward towards the rooftop and the chapter ended.

"COMPUUUTAAAAARRRR!!!"

**...**

Dib showed up at Zim's house some good time later than Gaz was expecting. She thought he already shorted out his feelings. He hadn't, and that was why he spent most of the afternoon walking around in the park. He only gave a brief look at his surroundings as he stared at Zim's new front door. It looked like something from Dr. Seuss, obnoxious red and blue polka dots clashing with it's pale yellow background. He was reluctant to knock on it. He was unsure what to say._ 'Thanks for saving me... __**again**__.' _didn't seem to cut it. Every time he thought he had the courage to knock on the door his fist would drop like a rock against his side again.

This was becoming very frustrating.

_'Oh please,'_ Dib shut his eyes while his face aimed downward. _'pathetic much?'_ He opened his eyes again looking were a 'Get Lost Normally' mat used to be. It was about a few boring seconds later the door slowly crept open. So slowly in fact, Dib didn't realize it's movement till it tapped his great forehead. He made a short shocked remark and a few chosen cruses mentally in his mind.

"Com3 1n, why **don't** you." the computer attempted a calm voice but only ended up sounding like a child who had something to hide. "M4ster-R has been w-**waiting...**"

Dib stepped in and flinched as the door slammed behind him, "R-really?" he said feeling his right hand's fingers scratch the back of his head and his stomach squirm, possibly in anticipation.

'_Maybe I should've ate something before I came...'_

"Ziiiim?" he called out awkwardly while walking into the living room.

"He CAN'T hear you."

"Oh?" he stopped, "Why's that?"

Silence.

After a few minutes of waiting for an answer, Dib rose one of his eyebrows and shrugged. He decided to have a look around. He couldn't believe how empty the place felt. He knew that hardly any of the long gone equipment was ever used, but now it felt almost as if Zim was packing up and leaving. Dib bit his lower lip at the thought. _'He wouldn't! Would he? There's no mission tying him down here. Hell, he was banished...' _Memories flooded back to that dark room were Zim was going to take his own life. Right in front of him, and he probably wouldn't of noticed if Zim used one of his assassin guns... Those things you really couldn't see or hear. _'Unless you were a male Otharin, they could hear it'_ Zim added once, in middle school after shooting a cat that had spooked him.

He wouldn't try again, would he? Or...

He didn't DO it, right?

The now beginning to panic Dib, started to rapidly search the first floor of the house. Opening and slamming doors he eventually manged to ring back to the living room. _'Shit! Shit! Shit!' _He then noticed the door on the right (where he was standing, it would have been left if you just entered the house) and strode for it.

This door too opened without Dib's help, and what came out of it made Dib back step.

"Hello!" cried Robo-Mom, "I'm soooo sorry I didn't hear the door ring!" The other dreaded figure came rolling along beside her and pulled out his pipe.

"Howdy!"

"Oh god." Dib whispered, his back against the wall with his eyes growing wider as their shadows grew even taller over him. "Can't we do this later?" The Robo-parents stopped and were kind enough to look like they were thinking about it.

"Do what later?" Robo-Mom grinned before suddenly frowning, "What did you THINK we were going to do?" Dib was unsure if the words he just said made him tread into deeper waters.

"Look, I don't want any trouble..." Dib rose his hands into the air. He was so sure that Zim had gotten rid of these things some time ago. But that always seemed to be the case with these things. They'd appear, make a ruckus of things for BOTH sides and when you almost forgot they existed they would come back more annoying than ever.

"My baby! What did you do to my baaabyyy!" Robo-Dad screamed and grabbed Dib's shoulders with his pincers.

"AUGH!" cried Dib, "Please guys!" he gasped after pushing the metal male into the female. "We aren't enemies any more!"

"We aren't?"

"No!" The parents frowned, then laughed. Dib could feel himself sweating.

"I always wanted another son!" Robo-Mom rose her yellow gloved hands in the air as she wheeled over to Dib and attempted to give him a big kiss.

"Let me get the camera!" squealed the father figure as he rolled into a wall, fell down, and stopped moving. Robo-Mom stopped her action with what she was trying to do to Dib and clasped beside her husband.

"Noooo! Why me? Why did the poison settle in now?" her hands hit the tin chest repeatedly till dents were forming. "First our little boy leaves us and now you!" Dib stopped his backtracking into the hallway.

"Zim... left you?"

"Gone from us! He was sooo young!"

_'No...!'_

"If I may interrupt, the elevator is s4fe for entering." the computer didn't yell, but turned up it's volume.

"Wha-?"

"Come on master's _friend_." A robotic arm came from the ceiling and shoved him into the kitchen.

"We're nothing of that sort!" Dib tried to shout but stumbled into the lift and fell on his face.


	16. Let's Not and Say We did

**Chapter 16: Lets Not and Say We Did**

The computer's speakers were shot but that didn't seem to stop the elevator's music to play crystal clear all the way up. Dib rubbed his still stinging face, he couldn't believe he fell for the Robo-parents inconsistent drama spiels again. He removed his glasses and used his shirt to feel for any cracks and remove possible dirt. No, nice and clean. Dib placed them back on holding back the urge to call the pair lucky, as he didn't really believe in luck since his whole life seemed to run without it. Feeling the lift shudder, Dib walked over to the doors expecting them to open. They didn't, but he realized it in time for his nose just to brush the hatch.

_'OH COME ON!!!'_ Dib bared his teeth, revealing an overbite. He took a step back and began to try to pry his fingers through the small crack and pull the stiff doors open. Both his arms and the doors shook from each other's stubborn will to do the opposite of what the other wished. It was when Dib got to the halfway point that the elevator's gears decided to give up and slide open. He sped out half expecting it to change it's mind and close again... only to hear a snap. As soon as he turned around, he watched the elevator disappear from sight and a crashing sound of damaged metal flatting itself following soon afterwards.

He felt goosebumps forming up his clothed arms, this week has been too dangerous to his personal life than comfortable.

Regaining easier breaths, he turned to face the rest of the attic. Ironically probably the least touched place of Zim's house since ninth grade. With the setting sun Dib could see the flying dust particles swish with the small breeze that came from the large hole from the corner of the house where part of the wall and roof was missing. You heard me.

And that is where Zim sat, facing the outside overlooking the dead street.

_We never talk to each other, that would start a change. How will we know?_

"You sure you should be doing that?" Dib walked up.

"Eh?" Zim gave a quick look over his shoulder before returning it back to the autumn green.

"What would happen if someone saw you?" He sat to Zim's right and watched the green one shrug. As he did so, Dib eyes caught the dying sun's glimmer on that stubborn earring.

"You going to take that off?"

"What?"

"This." Dib tapped the iridescent purple.

"Ha! I wish..." Zim gave a nervous grin as his right fingers slowly made their way up to the plastic.

"Well, don't worry to much about it." Dib grabbed Zim's hand and let it settle on the smaller one's lap, "It looks cool anyways..."

"Really?" Zim gave one of his classical questioning looks, one eye squinted far more than the other. Dib smiled seeing that Zim's left eye didn't seem too affected by Trevor's attempts and almost seemed to have it's old shimmer back. His right eye however, looked as if it would never comprehend again and would just react to life by instinct. As lugubrious as it was, the cracks made the eye look of faulty craftsmanship gone right. The accidental stroke on the artist's canvas that made the picture mystical so you had to keep looking at it because it never seemed to look the same since you last saw it. Transparent Labradorite, except only in shades of deep reds...

_I know. You know. We'll know._

_How?_

"Uh... Dib?" Zim tried pulling away, but his hand stayed in place in Dib's. Dib blinked, and released Zim's hand and quickly turned to the large purple clouds. Zim opened his mouth to say something, but Dib came first.

"It's been over. It was already over, but we didn't know it."

"Over?"

"We created excuses. Because it was different, it scared us. I dunno..." Dib gave a anxious laugh, "I guess it was custom- a force of habit to try to stop you everyday."

"Yea..." Zim folded his arms around his legs watching the streetlights popping on to become the first lights for the coming night.

_Something different... It's not us who payed the final price, it was him, them..._

"But Dib-beast. Er- heheh, Dib." Zim looked at Dib and stuck his Earthworm tongue out, Dib only lifted his arms showing how little he cared. "I mean, well you're right. We can't chase each other any more. There's nothing left- no. There has to be!" Zim felt himself beginning to shout, "I can't be left with nothing!" He felt a hand squeeze his shoulder.

"Nothing, unless we change ourselves." Zim flicked it off, it felt too weird.(1)

The winds began to pick up, rain was coming. Zim shivered, "There's not much left to it is there, we have to change?"

_Is change so bad?_

"Look at us Zim, can we really keep going like this?" The alien turned to Dib, his eyebrows narrowed in a frowning position that would normally translate in the human language as a human angry at Zim. But then he saw Dib's eyes, tired and full of concern. He seriously wanted it to end.

_Well, not if you put it that way._

"If we both agree on it, then-" Zim gulped, "...is it alright?" Breaking eye contact, he pulled the large shirt over his head and legs trying to focus on a more pleasing subject. Dark heavy clouds in the sky continued to gather, blocking the finishing sunset and chewing at Zim's already downed spirit.

_We just need to keep going. Don't turn your back to the future, it only adds fear to the unknown._

"I don't see why not." Dib caught a glimpse of a tabby running from one household across the street and over a wire fence. "I just don't know what else to do."

"Yea, why not?" Zim tried to smile but his emotions were running everywhere. He was happy yet sad, cheated but relieved. He never thought he was ever this confused in his life and still... Still there was something to hold onto this whole time.

Never thought it would have been _him_.

"So are we on the same footing now?" He heard Dib's voice growing with confidence, "Working together at skool-"

"Yes! Together against the EVIL Bitters! Zim would like a new teacher for once!"

"Against Gaz?"

"Away with her creepy dressing tyranny!"

"We will now both agree that we managed to find the cure for bologna together?" The mention of that old dreaded memory caused Zim's cheering to falter as he pondered the words.

"Yes.... Yes Dib. You know, we could work on Tak's ship... together."

"Yes...." For what was just a few seconds of silence for Zim was amazing milliseconds to Dib. '_Together... Tak's ship will definitely be working, it won't just be default functional, but fully functional if Zim helps me! Helps me! ME!'_ Dib tried to stop himself shaking but couldn't, he was too excited. Something was going really right for once! He threw his hands over his mouth to stop his insane laugh that he hated so much. Hardly laughing as a child he never had time to perfect it and turn it into something more kinder for the hearing.

"Dib? Whats the matter?" Zim let Gaz' shirt slip over his head to get a better look at his ally tearing up. "Dib?" Zim rose up in front of Dib and grabbed him by shoulders, "Speak words to Zim! Dib! Dib, you are laughing and crying, are you broken? " Dib shook his head and a small smile grew on his face.

"Nah Zim, I think what a real defective is someone who is unable to live happily in reality."

Zim stood there frozen letting each word strike cords in his mind, his next words were coughed out, "A real... defective?"

"Yea." Dib's eyebrow lifted a little, "Zim, are you okay?"

"Okay?" Zim gasped out, "Zim is more than okay, he is flabberbagasted!"

"You mean, flabbergasted?"

"Whatever!" His arms flew out as if it would help translate his feelings, looking as illiberally as most of his actions had appeared to Dib till those few days ago when they were on the couch... and down in the labs. They now shared an excepted feeling in common, how refreshing it felt to be called something else that didn't translate to failure. Elated. "He's more than that! He so captivated! So intoxicatedly enraptured! He's just... he's just..."

"Happy?"

"Cold actually." Zim grinned wrapping his arms around himself and sitting back down in front of Dib, both their faces flushed blue and red with excitement.

"Well lucky you could leave for the lower decks, I'm stuck here without a PAK."

"Hah! If anything," he pointed to the hump under the Grey shirt, "this thing has been a complete nuisance!"

"Isn't that your _life_?"

"It keeps me existing, yes. But till I get back to my labs that's all it's going to do." Zim found himself walking away from the opening as rumbling accompanied the winds. "And Zim can't do that till his lame henchmen of a computer makes a working elevator Zim can trust."

"Heh! That's for damn sure." Dib thought Zim's unconscious action was smart and pursued after. "Hey, do you have anything more comfortable to sleep on other than wood?" As he kicked a loosen version of the spoken subject with the tip of his boot.

"There's the cockpit-" Zim waved over to his Voot Cruiser "but..."

"But what?" He watched the antennae twitch, _'He's up to something...'_ Dib narrowed his eyes.

"Uh... nothing!"

"Nothing...?"

"Because... _yourhead'stoobig_!" Zim immediately scrambled for his ship jumping over cords and wires. Dib made a close second, but that means nothing when the ship was originally created for one small being. Rumbling grew louder as Zim pushed the lock button and began to snicker back into his old laugh as the shield started to close.

"I... can't... BELIEVE-" Dib growled as he slipped through the closing opening and squishing the alien underneath him.

"Ugh!"

"What the hell Zim?!?" Shouted Dib as he got off the chair and crammed himself behind it. The response was more laughter.

"Your too big!"

"Communication would've prevented this!" he gasped, imagining bashing Zim's head against a random wall with spikes.

"It wouldn't been as fun then wouldn't it?" Allowing his green fingers to flick the engines heaters on, his haughty smile calmed to a thin curved smile. Dib's face didn't calm down, in fact it seemed to become more agitated the more he tried to fit into this lousy excuse for a 'space'.

"Don't you have any blankets or something to soften the corners of your ship?" Dib hissed as his body gave up and slumped to the Slate Grey floor, his right knee almost in his face and his left foot pressed against the ceiling. Frustration and embarrassment heating his face further. Zim turned around and looked behind his chair. His eye looked over Dib's situation, starting from the bottom and slowly his eyes narrowed to the dirty sneaker on his ceiling.

"Take off those filthy feet-wears."

"In this position?"

"Do it!"

"You realize-"

"Do it _now!_" came the immediate hiss back.

"I _can't!_"

"Augh! Give your feets to Zim now!" Zim climbed to the top of his chair and attacked the left laces. Dib fumbled with the right but not much could be done when only one hand could reach the double-triple tied knots. Zim proved to be quick as Dib managed to take off one knot Zim cut the laces and threw the pair of shoes along with their cut bonds out of the ship and slammed his fist on the front screen window, closing them out again from the outside world.

"What was_ that_ for?" The odd request left Dib in a more amused state and not and angered one.

"Lookit what you did to my ceiling!" a green finger pointed up, "Who knows what you have done to the floor!"

"That is soooo amazing, Zim. I'm sure with your keen instinct for detail you will notice my position."

"Yes-yes. Very squishy." Zim noted, still focused on the smudge. The tone of sarcasm never reached his antennae. Dib sighed and wondered what will now become of his only pair of sneakers.

"So... don't you have any blankets in here or something?"

"Irkens don't-"

"I know what Irkens do or don't, I'm asking..." Zim pointed to the square cut in the ceiling by Dib's socked foot.

"You could try that."

"Oh?" Dib pushed his toe on the lock and snapped it open.

"Yea, that's Gir's compartment." Zim said absentmindedly and before Dib could protest, pillows, sock puppets and Glad containers spilled from the opened ceiling to his head and chest.

"...I just realized what I did was very stupid." Dib mumbled tossing the plastic back into the hole.

"What? Why?"

"This is Gir's compartment, anything could've been stored in here." Zim began to laugh again, and this time Dib followed.

"...true, true..."

After he managed to close the compartment again, Dib did what he could with the puppets and pillows, squirming and pushing to get into a position that he wouldn't be feeling fifty years into the future, assuming he'd live that long. Zim listened to this for twenty minutes until he decided it wasn't amusing anymore and pushed the blue button that folded the chair into the floor.

"Any better?"

"You asshole. Why didn't you do that in the first place?"

"Oh, come come Dib. I just remembered."

"Yea. Right." Dib sighed, relieved to stretch his legs out. Zim picked up one of Gir's puppets, soft to the touch but it's design would have many kindergarten children screaming for their parents and/or guardian.

"I do believe Dibblet, that your legs are longer than your head is big." Dib wasn't in the mood to open his eyes anymore.

"I believe that is the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my head." he wasn't sure if he wanted it to sound sarcastic, as the point he made was true.

"Your welcome Dib." Zim chirped, and plopped at Dib's left side making the florescent orange, lime green polka-dotted unicorn/goblin thing on his hand open and close it's mouth. The sight of it made you wonder if it was still the 70's and everything you have ever done after that was only a dream. Unless you where like Zim and in that case weren't on Earth when the 70's came, in which case it made you think of other things that involved crack.

"Throw that away Zim," Dib pulled off his jacket and threw it over himself and Zim, "before your only retina starts to burn." and hugged the biggest pillow to his face, "Mrphf..."

_'How odd is it that is has come to this.'_

"Alright Dibers." Zim smiled and placed it on top of Dib's head.

"Just call me Dib, okay? How hard can that be?" Dib said into the brown pillow.

"As hard as I want to." Dib felt Zim ease at his side and lay his head on his chest and soon enough, all what could be heard was the rhythmic breathing, the steady hum of the Cruiser and the occasional boom of the chaotic storm outside. And just like the weather, the rest of the days ahead had no real scheduled plan. The weather man could say it will rainy the rest of the week but what's to stop the Sun from shining tomorrow? Or the rest of the week? What's to say what it will be? Who's right is it? Not that there is anything wrong with planning ahead...

"Hey Zim?"

"...whaz?" mumbled the half asleep midget.

"Don't- don't tell Gaz I was here."

"Sure. Whatever." he whispered into Dib's shirt rubbing the right eye subconsciously. Geez, one more thing to remember to do.

Who's to say they won't skip school tomorrow?

* * *

(1) more cliché if anything. Glad was invented in Australia by Dr. Douglas Lyons Ford in the 1960s.

Thank you for taking your time to read this from beginning to end.

If you have any free time to review, please do tell me what you thought was the worst part of this story and how you think I may improve upon it. Otherwise, please go to my author's page for fan art! For a reason beyond my comprehension, some people liked this story enough to draw things for me!

Thank you again!


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